UTC Files Comments on Reliability/Continuity of Commercial Networks

July 8, 2011

In comments filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), UTC expressed continued concerns among utilities and other critical infrastructure industries about the reliability and resiliency of commercial communications networks to support smart grid and other applications. This, UTC contends, underscores the need for utilities to rely on private internal networks. The comments respond to a FCC Notice of Inquiry (NOI), which recognized that "[o] ther critical infrastructure providers, such as power companies, must have reliable communications services to aid in their own repair and restoration efforts," and that potential differences in reliability between legacy wireline networks and new broadband technologies "could be a major source of concern for critical sectors, such as energy..." The FCC's NOI attempts to "establish a dialog with all interested stakeholders, including ... other critical infrastructure providers, such as utility companies," which the FCC believes will establish "a foundation for future initiatives designed to maximize reliable and resilient communications for the benefit of all Americans, particularly with respect to public safety and national security concerns." UTC's comments identified issues with regard to commercial service providers' backup power, network congestion, coverage and service level agreements. UTC expressed its support for the FCC’s effort to address these and other issues. In the comments, UTC also emphasized that utilities continue to rely on private internal networks and need access to spectrum to meet their communications needs.