§1201 Federal Communications Commission duties

Summary

The Federal Communications Commission must adopt technical rules, within 180 days after the Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee sends its recommendations, so mobile carriers can choose to send emergency alerts. The FCC must work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology on those rules. Within 120 days after those rules are set, the FCC must allow any commercial mobile service provider to send alerts, and must require clear notice at point of sale and to current customers if a provider chooses not to send alerts. Each provider has 30 days after the FCC’s order to tell the FCC whether it will send alerts. If a provider chooses to send alerts, it must follow the technical rules and may not charge extra. The FCC must set a way for providers to stop sending alerts without penalty, to start later, and for customers to cancel service without fees if a provider stops. Providers may let customers block some alerts, except alerts from the President or FEMA. The FCC must also require broadcast TV stations to add equipment within 90 days to help target alerts, may enforce the rules, and must require technical testing. Providers who follow the rules are protected from liability for sending or not sending alerts and for sharing subscriber info to deliver alerts.