The FCC has granted more than 90 STA requests and 100 temporary frequency authorizations for emergency workers, organizations and companies to provide wireless and broadcast services in areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and in shelters nationwide.
That’s what Ken Moran, director of the Office of Homeland Security for the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, told a congressional committee today. Most of those requests were granted within 4 hours, he told the House Homeland Security Committee during a hearing on operability during catastrophes.
Of Katrina he said, “Over 20 million telephone calls did not go through the day after the hurricane. While we were not able to contact every station in the immediate aftermath, we estimate that approximately 100 broadcast stations were knocked off the air.”
Rita, affecting the coasts of Texas and Louisiana, left more than 80 million telephone customers without service, but only knocked about five broadcasters off the air.
FCC Jump-Starts STAs in Wake of Hurricanes
FCC Jump-Starts STAs in Wake of Hurricanes
