Subject: Re: [NEXTEL-1] Utilities Not Using Outage As Spectrum Card

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 19:05:26 EDT

Hmmm..... an "illustration" of why the utility community needs more spectrum. 
 Interesting to use the failure of utilities to keep their business 
infrastructure (i.e. their electric system) up to date to justify why they need more 
spectrum.  Was a utility unable to communicate during the outage because they 
had insufficient spectrum?

According to today's Washington Post, the outage was in FirstEnergy's 
operational area.  This would be the FirstEnergy which (again according to the Post) 
has been found by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of being guilty of 
"ignoring warning signs and improperly maintaining" its nuclear plant.  With annual 
revenue of $12 billion, but quarterly losses of $57.9 million, doesn't seem to 
me like they have money to build a new communications infrastructure, and I'm 
not sure that I'd want them responsible for a communications network, too! :)

Alan T.

In a message dated 8/19/2003 6:51:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
[email-masked] writes:

> Utilities Not Using Outage As Spectrum Card
> BY MARK ROCKWELL
> AUGUST 19, 2003
> 
> WASHINGTON -- Electrical utility lobbyists here don't see the massive power
> outage in the Northeast as a trump card in their arguments for more spectrum 
> for
> utility companies' internal communications, in spite of increasing scrutiny 
> of
> communications systems' role in the blackout.
> 
> The United Telecom Council, which represents electric power, water, gas and
> pipeline and other "critical infrastructure" entities, has been arguing for 
> years
> that
> its members need more spectrum to expand increasingly complex internal
> communications systems. The blackout that crippled the Northeast, Midwest 
> and
> parts of Canada is just the latest example of why utility companies need 
> more
> allocated spectrum, says Mark Gedris, spokesman for UTC.
> 
> Gedris says the government probably won't be see the event by itself as a 
> reason
> to allocate more spectrum to utility companies, even though President Bush 
> has
> said electric utilities' facilities are in dire need of modernization. It 
> will,
> however,
> be yet another illustration of why utility companies need more spectrum.
> 
> Reportedly, the latest focus of the government's investigation into the 
> possible
> cause of last week's blackout is on communications lines and calls among the
> utilities involved. The "hot lines" between utility companies used in times 
> of
> emergency were put in place in 1965.
> 
> http://www.wirelessweek.com/index.asp?layout=newsat2direct&starting=6&
> pubdate=08/19/03

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 19:35:18 -0400

[email-masked] wrote:

> infrastructure (i.e. their electric system) up to date to justify why they need
> more spectrum.  Was a utility unable to communicate during the outage because
> they had insufficient spectrum?
>

I'm sure we will find out very shortly. (Speaking of short now would be an
opportune time to "Short" any utility stocks one may have before Billiy starts his
witch hun
http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/09032003hearing1061/hearing.htmt  ).
I think a key part of the evidence will come when carriers submit Network Outage
Reports. The funny thing is the FCC reports:

                      " The outage reporting system is currently being revised.
Inquiries regarding the
                       outage reports may be directed to Young Carlson at
[email-masked]"

                       Outage reporting rules - 47 CFR § 63.100 (Rules page)

Looking at the 1st Quarter 2003 Macro-Analysis Report from the  Network
Reliability Steering Committee the communication systems across the US are prone
to major outages and we can not expect utilities to be immune.

Analysis of the major outage reports submitted to the FCC by the industry during
the first quarter of 2003
http://www.atis.org/pub/nrsc/1Q03macroreport.pdf

> operational area.

Yep-

>  This would be the FirstEnergy which (again according to the Post) has been
> found by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of being guilty of "ignoring warning
> signs and improperly maintaining" its nuclear plant.  With annual revenue of $12
> billion, but quarterly losses of $57.9 million,

They are the Nextel of the power industry, Political Clout (they recently held a
Bush fund raiser that added $600,000.00 to
his relocation coffers.), disregard of rules & Regs (They found a football size
hole in their primary reactor) and failed to properly report it, Bottom line
driven to impress Wall Street (a high level VP recently entertained a slew of Wall
Street Analyst for a weekend out on a private island in Georgia). Sounds familiar?

> doesn't seem to me like they have money to build a new communications
> infrastructure, and I'm not sure that I'd want them responsible for a
> communications network, too! :)
>

That is what everyone said about Nextel's 10 year non-profit streak before they
came up with $850M  to fix their interference problem. So you never know!

>> Utilities Not Using Outage As Spectrum Card

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---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 19:40:18 -0400

Oppppps...

I meant Re-Election Coffers

I don't want the SS guys here getting the wrong idea! They are VERY sensitive......

[email-masked] wrote:

> his relocation coffers.),