Statement of REC Networks: NAB petition for software-based EAS

A software-based EAS solution must include accommodations for independent developers, playout system developers and open-source solutions.

The National Association of Broadcasters has filed a Petition for Rulemaking with the FCC to allow, but not require, Emergency Alert System (EAS) participants to use software-based methods as opposed to legacy hardware.

As NAB stated, the EAS market is dwindling down to only one viable choice, Digital Alert Systems (DAS) with the exit of Sage from the legacy equipment manufacturing business.

Software based EAS could allow emergency alerting to be integrated directly into radio station playout systems through the addition some common non-proprietary hardware that would permit the interfacing of radio receivers or software defined radio (SDR) hardware for legacy EAS as well as be able to properly interface with IPAWS. At last year’s NAB Show, DAS and ENCO demonstrated a system that would provide an “alerting in the cloud” function.

REC Networks agrees with the overall concept and will support NAB in this proceeding.

However, we also need to assure that there are new opportunities for smaller developers as well as for opportunities for community powered (open source) methods of providing EAS. As a part of this process, the layer of required FCC certifications and processes in order to be able to market EAS encoder/decoders and or software must be greatly reduced and streamlined with a much lower cost for entry into the marketplace. I call on NAB to support REC with these positions.

Let’s hope we can integrate software-based EAS with the latest efforts to “delete” regulations and other operational hurdles at the FCC to make it easier for new developers as well as for crowdsourced options. We cannot let one company, such as DAS have a near monopoly on EAS.

Likewise, we also call on the Carr Administration to not proceed with some of former Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s resiliency-related efforts, especially after the CAP polling disaster a couple of years ago. These issues include: multi-lingual EAS, overly paranoid cybersecurity methods and mandatory DIRS/NORS reporting for broadcast stations. These bad policies would bankrupt small stations, both commercial and noncommercial and in many cases, are unworkable and provide no true cost-benefit, to either the station or to the Government.

REC calls on our constituency to please support NAB’s petition and to stress the need for an easier certification process with lower costs that will make EAS available to developers that are not normally in the EAS business, and to encourage development of open source solutions.

Comments in PS Dockets 15-94 and 22-329 are due on Friday, May 2, 2025.