Press Release
SpectraRep Selected to Serve on FCC Mobile Spectrum Alerts Advisory Committee.
Committee Tasked to Develop and Recommend Technical Standards and Protocols for Transmitting Emergency Alerts
Chantilly VA - December 14, 2006 -- SpectraRep, Inc., a leading provider of digital media and applications solutions via digital television and satellite, announced today that its Senior Vice President, Edward Czarnecki, has been appointed to the Federal Communications Commissionâ„¢'s Commercial Mobile Spectrum Alerts Advisory Committee by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.
The Commission, which commenced on December 12 in Washington, D.C., will be chaired by Commissioner Martin. Its purpose is to develop and recommend technical standards and protocols to facilitate the voluntary transmission of emergency alerts by Commercial Mobile Service providers.
"I am honored to accept this appointment," Czarnecki said, "I look forward to working with committee members on the challenge of evaluating the best means of including commercial mobile service providers at part of an enlarged network of outbound warning technologies. Enlarging the capability of EAS is essential in order to give alerts to as many people as possible, in as short a time as possible, by as many means as possible.
"This challenge must be addressed as a collaborative effort if we are to effectively enhance the protection of life and property with use of commercial mobile technologies," Czarnecki said. "The work of this committee may be instrumental in helping define the future role of commercial mobile services in a truly integrated public alert and warning system, alongside radio, television, cable, and other warning channels."
In compliance with the WARN (Warning Alert and Response Network) Act, enacted in October 2006, the FCC is required to form a committee to develop and recommend technical standards and protocols, and then provide its recommendations by October 12, 2007.
According to statue, the Committee must develop and submit to the Commission recommendations for:
- Protocols, technical capabilities, and technical procedures through which electing CMS providers receive, verify, and transmit alerts to subscribers;
- The establishment of technical standards for the reliable, secure and priority transmission of alerts by electing CMS providers to subscribers;
- Relevant technical standards for devices and equipment and technologies used by electing CMS providers to transmit emergency alerts to subscribers; and,
- The technical capability to transmit emergency alerts by electing CMS providers to subscribers in languages in addition to English, to the extent practicable and feasible.
SpectraRep has been working with public broadcasters across the nation on emergency alert and public safety issues. The company is currently working with the Association of Public Television Stations, directing the systems design and integration effort for the Federal Emergency Management Agencyâ„¢'s national Digital Emergency Alert System (DEAS) project. Czarnecki is currently coordinating a nine-state FEMA pilot to provide enhanced state-level public alert and warning capabilities by using SpectraRepâ„¢'s AlertManagerâ„¢, an emergency notification and critical event messaging system, in conjunction with partner public broadcast digital TV transmission capabilities.
SpectraRep is a member of the Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC), the Emergency Interoperability Consortium (EIC), and an associate member of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), Association of Public Television Stations (APTS), and International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM).
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Press Contact:
MacKenzie Lovings 703/818-2425 mlovings@bia.com
SpectraRep Corporate Contacts:
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Rick Ducey President Tel: (703) 227-9690
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Edward Czarnecki Vice President – Gov’t Solutions Tel: (703) 227-9690
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