PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 14-208 Released: February 18, 2014 PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU ANNOUNCES EFFECTIVE DATE OF 911 RELIABILITY RULES PS Docket Nos. 13-75, 11-60 By this Public Notice, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) announces the effective date of rules to improve the reliability and resiliency of 911 communications networks. On December 12, 2013, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopted a Report and Order (911 Reliability Order) requiring certain 911 communications providers to take reasonable measures to provide reliable service, as evidenced by an annual certification of compliance with specified best practices or reasonable alternative measures. 1 Effective Date As stated in the 911 Reliability Order, portions of the rules that do not contain new or modified information collection requirements subject to approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) become effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. 2 A summary of the 911 Reliability Order and rules adopted therein appeared in the Federal Register on January 17, 2014. 3 Accordingly, a Covered 911 Service Provider’s obligation, pursuant to new Section 12.4(b) of the Commission’s rules, 4 to take reasonable measures to provide reliable 911 service with respect to 911 circuit diversity, central office backup power, and diverse network monitoring takes effect today, February 18, 2014, except for information collection requirements subject to OMB approval. 5 On February 10, 2014, the Commission published additional information in the Federal Register clarifying which sections of the rules require OMB approval. 6 As stated in that notice, new Sections 12.4(c), (d)(1), and (d)(3) of the Commission’s rules regarding the elements of annual reliability 1 In the Matter of Improving 911 Reliability; Reliability and Continuity of Communications Networks, Including Broadband Technologies, PS Docket Nos. 13-75, 11-60, Report and Order, 28 FCC Rcd 17476 (Dec. 12, 2013), available at http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2013/db1212/FCC-13-158A1.pdf. 2 See id. at 17497-98, ¶ 64. 3 Improving 911 Reliability; Reliability and Continuity of Communications Networks, Including Broadband Technologies, 79 Fed. Reg. 3123 (Jan. 17, 2014), available at https://federalregister.gov/a/2014-00958. 4 47 C.F.R. § 12.4(b). 5 See 79 Fed. Reg. at 3123. 6 See Improving 9-1-1 Reliability; Reliability and Continuity of Communications Networks, Including Broadband Technologies, 79 Fed. Reg. 7589 (Feb. 10, 2014), available at https://federalregister.gov/a/2014-02825. 2certifications and initial reliability certifications, including tagging Critical 911 Circuits and record retention, will not take effect until the associated information collection is approved by OMB. 7 New requirements under Section 4.9(h) of the Commission’s rules regarding outage notifications to public safety answering points (PSAPs) also require OMB approval. 8 The Commission will publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing the effective dates of those requirements once established. In the meantime, the OMB approval process is not intended to suggest or require any change in Covered 911 Service Providers’ current activities conducted in the normal course of business or to relieve providers of the other requirements of the 911 Reliability Order. Additional Information Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This Public Notice does not contain new or modified information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Therefore it does not contain any new or modified “information burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees” pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107- 198. For further information, please contact Eric Schmidt in the Cybersecurity and Communications Reliability Division of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau at (202) 418-1214 or eric.schmidt@fcc.gov. —FCC— 7 See 47 C.F.R. §§ 12.4(c), (d)(1), (d)(3); 79 Fed. Reg. at 7589-90. 8 See 47 C.F.R. § 4.9(h); 79 Fed. Reg. at 7589-90.