FCC’s cellular tower backup power plan falls dead on White House doorstep

The Hurricane Katrina disaster highlighted just how ill-equipped service providers were to handle a massive natural disaster. In an effort to increase the chances that cellular networks would remain operational following a disaster, the FCC crafted a plan that would require wireless carriers to outfit each cell tower with at least 8 hours worth of backup battery power.

Unfortunately, the FCC plan has been rejected by the White House Office of Management and Budget on grounds that the FCC failed to solicit public comments. The plan has also become the center of a legal battle between the FCC and the cellular industry group, CTIA. The CTIA argues that the FCC’s plan to provide backup batteries with 8 hours worth of power for each cellular tower would be expensive and unnecessary.

The FCC can technically override the OMB’s decision, but might just end up coming up against another roadblock in the CTIA’s lawsuit. “We are considering our options in light of the OMB decision,” said FCC spokesman Matthew Nodine.

Until the FCC can draft a new potential backup power plan, the US will have to accept that “Carriers already have implemented flexible business continuity/disaster recovery plans that address their backup power needs and enhance network reliability and resiliency,” according to the CTIA.

[Via: Yahoo]