IP Democracy: Post-Disaster Communications Petition Needs Support

Last month, Tom Evslin and Jeff Pulver petitioned the FCC to require phone companies to provide voice mail and call forwarding any time a phone line goes out for more than twelve hours (more about this petition here.) The goal is to have in place some kind of consistent communications “home base” for displaced families, particularly low-income families, in the event of a natural disaster.

Last week, the FCC put this post-disaster communications petition out for public comment and Jeff is asking the public to please weigh in with comments.

Comments are due by: April 27, 2006 so the window is short for both spreading the word and for submitting comments. The FCC has made the electronic comment filing procedure VERY simple. All you really need to do to weigh in is go to: http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/upload_v2.cgi, enter RM-11327 in the first line where it requests the “Proceeding” (this is the Petitions “RM” number), fill in the other minimal contact info requirements, and submit a brief statement in support.

On the eve of hurricane season, a simple system that allows loved ones to reach each other makes a lot of sense. I haven’t heard of any real objections to this kind of system either. Remember, the deadline is April 27.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on April 14, 2006 9:36 PM to IP Democracy