Today the FCC announced that the Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (or “CSRIC”) has been re-chartered for two more years and also announced the members of the new CSRIC. CSRIC is a federal advisory committee that provides recommendations to the FCC on actions the Commission can take to help ensure the security and reliability of communications systems.

CSRIC members are a diverse group of expert stakeholders from the public and private sectors. John Schanz, Executive Vice President and Chief Network Officer for Comcast Cable, will be the Chair of the CSRIC, and we are very happy that he will be steering this effort. Schanz, one of the nation’s leaders in securing commercial communications networks, brings invaluable expertise to this role at a time when both the challenges and opportunities presented by evolving technologies are greater than ever.

CSRIC V, named so because this is the fifth re-chartering of the council, will hold its first public meeting on June 24.  It will have a busy agenda. We expect to charge these experts with developing recommendations on issues including how to reduce the frequency and impact of misrouted 911 calls, how to improve Next Generation emergency alerting and 911 services, and how to enhance the resiliency and reliability of communications infrastructure, especially as communities depend increasingly on wireless services.  I also expect that members will examine the challenges associated with prioritizing emergency communications during disaster-related infrastructure outages.

In addition, we’ll ask CSRIC V to work on cybersecurity issues. One of CSRIC IV’s biggest achievements was developing and recommending voluntary mechanisms by which the communications industry can improve its management of cyber risks. I expect the new CSRIC to build on these efforts by developing recommendations on how communications companies can improve information sharing about cyber risks within the private sector.   

This will be a robust agenda, but one that focuses on achieving outcomes that are good for the companies participating, good for communities, and good for consumers. Thank you to all the members of CSRIC V who will be taking on this important work.