Tag: Federal Communications Commission

OAKLAND, Calif.—AT&T's move to partially disable its 2G service here at the end of August got the attention of California Alarm Association members, but the frequency blackout did not affect operations in the field, according to CAA Executive Director Jerry Lenander.AT&T, which announced on Aug. 3 that it would phase out its 2G networks nationwide by 2017, temporarily shut down its 850 MHz frequency on 16 cell towers in Oakland after city officials notified the company that the towers were...

WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission is stepping up enforcement to halt the sale and use of radio jamming devices, which can indiscriminately interfere with cellular 911 calls and wireless signals from alarm devices.It is illegal to buy, sell or use signal jammers in the United States, but that doesn't stop consumers—including criminals who use the devices to disable alarm systems—from obtaining jammers online. They are available on many websites, with retailers claiming...

Calling all alarm companies � Are you robocalling into the void in an attempt to land new business, or to sell new products and services to existing customers? There are new rules that will soon affect you. Under provisions of an order adopted Feb. 15 by the Federal Communications Commission, express written consent will be required from consumers before a company can place a marketing robocall to a residential or wireless number. The FCC also will require telemarketers to provide an automated “opt...

WASHINGTON--Plain-old telephone service--the mainspring of traditional burg and fire alarm signal transmission--could be coming to a mandatory end. The Federal Communications Commission on Dec. 1 issued a public notice seeking comment on a National Broadband Plan that could include a mandatory switch from a public switched telephone network to IP, similar to the FCC-enforced switch from analog to digital broadcast television that occurred in early 2009. For an exclusive look at how IP technology...