Telecom Business Alert -- Consumer Signal Boosters, NIST Framework, OSHA Tower Notice -- Vol XI Issue 7
Compliance Deadline Extended for Consumer Signal Boosters
Last week, the FCC issued an Order extending the original March 1 deadline to April 30, 2014 for Consumer Signal Boosters marketed, distributed or sold in the United States to comply with the Commission’s new technical standards. Consumer Signal Boosters are used in connection with commercial wireless service for private use by individual subscribers. The FCC noted unforeseen delays in developing new equipment testing procedures for Consumer Signal Boosters. The additional time was necessary for the Commission to certify Consumer Signal Boosters and provide consumers with additional choices among compliant Consumer Signal Boosters. Regardless of this extension, Consumers may only operate legacy signal boosters if they received consent and registered their booster with the serving provider. For more information, please contact Doug Jarrett (Jarrett@khlaw.com; 202.434.4180).
NIST Releases Final Cybersecurity Framework
The White House released National Institute of Science and Technology’s (NIST) Final Cybersecurity Framework last week. The Final Framework was required by the President’s Executive Order on Cybersecurity, issued last February, which tasked NIST with developing a voluntary framework, based on existing standards, guidelines, and practices, to reduce cybersecurity risks to critical infrastructure. Following the Framework’s release, the White House and government agencies are shifting the focus toward incentives programs to encourage CII participation and adoption of the Framework. The Department of Homeland Security is expected to launch a Voluntary Incentives Program later this month. Please contact Tracy Marshall (marshall@khlaw.com; 202.434.4234) for more information.
OSHA Issues Notice to Communications Tower Owners
Last week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a letter warning communications tower owners and employers of their responsibility to identify and prevent workplace hazards. OSHA reported the number of worker deaths related to communications tower work has significantly increased in the past year. Among the main reasons for the accidents is the lack of fall protection equipment for tower climbers as well as hazards in the field. OSHA’s letter was a reminder to all employers in high-risk industries of the responsibility to provide training to use fall protection gear and to supervisor its use. For more information on OSHA’s requirements, please contact David Sarvadi (Sarvadi@khlaw.com; 202.434.4249).
KH Webinar on Communications Tower Issues
Keller and Heckman LLP Attorneys will be covering OSHA’s requirements for tower owners as well as many other tower issues in the upcoming webinar entitled ““Know Your Tower ABCs: FAA, ASR, NEPA, FCC, SHPO, TCNS, OSHA…”
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Keller and Heckman LLP's Telecom Business Alert is a complimentary weekly electronic update created by the Telecommunications and the Business Counseling and Transactional practice groups of Keller and Heckman LLP. All articles, videos, and quotations are on topics of general interest and do not constitute legal advice for particularized facts. Keller and Heckman LLP's Telecom Business Alert © 2013. All rights reserved. Articles may be copied with attribution. To sign up for our weekly alert, please send us an email at telecomalert@khlaw.com and provide us with your name and email. Please follow us on twitter at @KHtelecom.