PUBLIC NOTICE
Federal Communications Commission
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
445 12th St., S.W.
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
Washington, D.C. 20554
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
DA 12-1035
Released: June 29, 2012
FCC’S PUBLIC SAFETY & HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU ANNOUNCES THAT
THE DISASTER INFORMATION REPORTING SYSTEM IS PREPARED TO
RECEIVE INFORMATION ON INTERCONNECTED VOICE OVER INTERNET
PROTOCOL AND BROADBAND INTERNET SERVICES
As of June 28, 2012 the Federal Communications Commission’s (Commission) Disaster
Information Reporting System (DIRS) will accept disaster outage information on interconnected
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and broadband Internet services.1 DIRS is a voluntary, web-
based system administered by the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) that
communications providers can use to report communications infrastructure status and situational
awareness information during times of crisis. Information submitted in DIRS provides the
Commission with an important level of awareness regarding the status of communications during
and immediately after a disaster. The expansion of DIRS to interconnected VoIP and broadband
Internet services recognizes that consumers, businesses, and government agencies increasingly
rely on broadband and interconnected VoIP services for everyday and emergency
communications needs, including 9-1-1 services.
Hurricane season 2012 began on June 1st. The Commission strongly encourages all
carriers and providers of communications, including broadband services to submit and update
information through DIRS at
https://www.fcc.gov/nors/disaster/ or under e-filing on the
Commission’s main webpage or PSHSB webpage. Providers that have not previously done so
will be asked to first provide contact information and obtain a User ID when they access DIRS.2
This will facilitate the FCC’s efforts to assist communications providers in maintaining and
restoring service during times of disaster.
1 On June 8, 2012, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the expansion of DIRS information
collection under OMB Control Number 3060-1003.
2 The Commission requests that communications providers (wireline carriers, wireless carriers, broadcasters, cable
system operators, interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol and broadband Internet Service Providers ) that
choose to participate in DIRS provide contact information for any and all individuals in each company who would
be providing information on the status of communications equipment in the event of a disaster. Contact information
includes contact name, company name, phone number, cell phone number, Blackberry/pager number, and e-mail
address. This information will be secured by the Commission and protected from public release.
For further information, please contact John Healy, Associate Division Chief, of the PSHSB’s
Cybersecurity and Communications Reliability Division either at (202) 418-2448 or
John.Healy@fcc.gov .
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