Public Knowledge Calls on FCC to Oversee 3G Sunset [telecom]

[Bill Horne]

By Shiva Stella

August 31, 2021

Yesterday, Public Knowledge, Access Humboldt, Benton Institute for
Broadband and Society, Center for Rural Strategies, and New America's
Open Technology Institute filed comments in response to the Federal
Communications Commission's Public Notice seeking comment on a petition
for emergency relief filed by the Alarm Industry Communications Committee.

The petition for emergency relief requests the FCC act to delay the
planned shutdown of AT&T's 3G wireless network in February 2022 because
security, fire, and personal medical alert systems all rely upon it to
function. Because of COVID-19, the alarm industry has not been able to
upgrade these systems to function on modern wireless networks. Without
intervention from the FCC, the shutdown of AT&T's 3G network threatens
to leave some unknown number of alarm systems inoperable. In addition,
an unsupervised shutdown of 3G systems by major carriers nationwide puts
the phone service of millions of Americans - many of them elderly or
low-income - at risk.

https://www.publicknowledge.org/press-release/public-knowledge-calls-on-fcc-to-oversee-3g-sunset/