NYSBA Files Comments Asking FCC to Make EAS Software Systems Voluntary

The Joint Reply Comments, NYSBA along with other State Broadcasting Associations, urged the FCC to authorize software-based EAS as a voluntary option, apply the existing 60-day repair-or-replace period to software-based EAS, improve authentication through a measured, technically informed process, undertake further work before requiring a universal identifier or additional fixed legacy location codes, maintain the voluntary nature of CAP geographic data, ATSC 3.0 enhancements, and alert symbols, and provide coordinated guidance and training for alert originators and government agencies with regard to any new requirements. 

The filing noted that taking this approach will allow useful innovation while preserving the reliable, automated, and broadly deployed EAS system on which the public relies.

You can access the filing here.