Hi , 

 

Here is the follow up from the Friday, February 11th National Call for Safe Technology. As always, there was a lot of great information shared, and we do our best to capture the highlights - but you'll have to attend the calls or re-watch the recording to catch it all!

 

1. Conditions to allow funding: prior recipients; amount, where deployed, diverted, metrics, results achieved.  If prior recipient cannot account, then disqualified.
2. Financial audits of prior recipients: if amts used other than for the purpose, then would be reported to the relevant state AGs for investigation
3. NTIA should waive barriers to entry for local fiber operators (large permitting fees, but incumbents are grandfathered in), require that incumbents disclose where the node connectors are to drop FTTP
4. Wireless: gap, how soon FTTP, insurance, EHS accommodation
5. BB equity to EHS – that means wired
6. Superiority of fiber: life span, maintenance; wireless – inferior, asymmetrical, low speeds
7. REAs – daily double – FTTP and upgrade electrical grid
8. Wi-fi free zones

 

We've also attached the submission Odette will be sending into the NTIA based on her contribution at last week's forum.

Here is a link to finding your State Broadband Agency: https://broadband.money/state-broadband-offices

 

We'll also be sending out a template that can be adapted to our state's needs for broadband in order to have a conversation with our State Broadband Agency (or share with others you'd like to share it with). This will be able to be used as a blueprint to determine funding to the rural unserved and underserved areas of our states.

 

And Odette suggested looking up the Fiber Optics Association (FBA) to find and build a relationship with the Fiber Optics operators in our states. These operators could also help educate legislators on the accounting side of this issue.

 

 

 

Here is the link for the brief Stephen filed yesterday: https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fbem/DocumentDisplayServlet?documentId=vl6VsSPbMw7xhNVUyz2JkA==&system=prod 

 

Contact Stephen here if you're able to help: pilgrimpeace@gmail.com 

 

Mary Bauer and Odette gave a recap of the FAA hearing which took place on February 3rd in the Aviation subcommittee of the House Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure: https://transportation.house.gov/committee-activity/hearings/finding-the-right-frequency-5g-deployment-and-aviation-safety

Odette selected 25 minutes if you'd like to watch, and an optional last 2 hours starting at
2:28:00.
2:00 - 16:52 (or whenever DeFazio finishes speaking)
2:28:00 onwards is the testimony from airline/pilot associations and
industry (Roberson and CTIA), if you're interested
4:23:00 - 4:35:00 (includes DeFazio and Larsen)

Upshot by Odette: Industry was putting the blame on the NTIA for not forwarding FAA's concerns to the FCC.  Rather, Rep. DeFazio said that despite comments being sent directly to Ajit Pai by airlines, pilots, the
Aviation Committee in Congress and RCTA (Radio Tech Commission for Aeronautics), Ajit Pai "blew everyone off."  Concerns were expressed by the FAA to the FCC since 2015 and then again since 2018.  Industry was claiming that countries like France which cleared 5G had higher 5G power levels than the US.  Wrong again.  DeFazio corrected them.  France's wattage is 15-85 while in the US it's 1585, big difference.  A chart showing this shows 631 watts in the US.  Not sure who put the chart
together. Also, in France, antennas are tilted downward and the exclusion zones are permanent.  In the US, they're temporary only for 6 months.

What's amazing is that the telecoms view the location, height, and power of the antennas as proprietary data. SAY WHAT?! The attorneys b/w FAA and the telecoms seem to have worked it out so that the data can be shared.

 

CTIA also had the audacity to state they don't accept the premise that there is 5G interference.  SAY WHAT?! CTIA was contradicted by the airline and pilots associations, as well as DeFazio.

CTIA was saying that the RCTA report regarding hazards was "implausible." DeFazio and Chair Larsen corrected CTIA, that there are no implausible scenarios when it comes to aviation safety.  Larsen: "We're in the business of implausible scenarios."  Chair Larsen stated towards the end that fundamental differences in how industry/FCC and the FAA view this situation has brought us to where we are now.

 

Here is another link that was shared during this discussion: https://www.govtech.com/network/medevac-other-helicopters-may-be-grounded-in-5g-rollout

 

 

Please take a few minutes to write thank you letters to the city of Pittsfield, Massachusetts ASAP! (below is from Cece Doucette and requested by Courtney Gilardi)
 

• 1 of 2 components of the bill is likely to advance, the setback; the registry of harm had a financial note tacked to it after the bill was introduced so they are looking to set aside the registry to be addressed later

• 4 members had read enough in the groundbreaking NH Final Report of the Commission to Study the Environmental and Health Effects of Evolving 5G Technology and see the speed at which the wireless industry is putting toxic cell towers and small cells at close range to homes and schools to wanted to pass the bill outright 
   
• 17 members voted for Interim Study (not to be confused with "sent to study" in other states where a bill goes to die; in NH, they actually study the issue at hand)
   
• 8 members volunteered to serve on the Interim Study sub-committee and get to work on responsible technology -- thank you!
   
• The STE Committee will seek approval of their majority recommendation from the full House on February 17

One of the last topics of discussion was regarding a name for this National Group. Thank you for the many ideas submitted. We're deciding the best way to make the selection process simple and one in which many people can take part in. It was suggested we come up with a mission statement prior to a name, however we explored choosing a name first so there would be a home (website) where all of this great information can be stored....so stay tuned!

 

We'll be back this week with more information!