FCC Announces New Requirements for FCC Registration Numbers – Effective Date is Sept. 1, 2016

If you wish to conduct business with the FCC, you must first register through the FCC’s Commission Registration System (“CORES”). To register, you must create a username and password. This username will uniquely identify you in the CORES system. You will also use this username to access CORES to update your FRN information and reset/update your FRN Password. CORES will now require FRNs to have an Administrator(s). This user(s) will manage which users have access to the FRN and what user role they will have. IF YOU CURRENTLY HAVE AN FCC LICENSE, YOU HAVE ALREADY REGISTERED.

A filer, licensee, certificate holder, or any entity sending payments to the FCC is considered to be doing business with the FCC and must, therefore, have a registered username and FRN.

(Petitioners or non-feeable complainants are not required to have a registered username and FRN.)

 In an effort to ensure security of FCC registration numbers, the FCC is changing  CORES in order to implement several user-specific identification requirements. In addition to enhancing security, the FCC believes that these changes will also make the FCC’s CORES system more user friendly.

 These changes will:

  •  Implement a requirement for existing and new users to designate user-specific IDs (user names) for access to FCC Registration Numbers (FRNs) and related records.
  •  Allow registrants to establish multiple user names for each FRN with different levels of access. In this regard, the first user establishing access to an FRN will have administrator privileges with the capability to limit the level of access to all other users.

(By default, the first user establishing access to an existing FRN will be granted administrative responsibilities over the account and will have the ability to limit the level of access for future users, if desired.) 

  • Require users to provide a valid e-mail address for online access to the system.
  •  Establish password-recovery security questions specific to each user.

 Some of the changes being implemented by the FCC were proposed almost five and a half years ago in its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in MD Docket No. 10-234 (released December 7, 2010). Nonetheless, the FCC is making certain changes from the NPRM and others without notice and comment rulemaking since the changes are considered administrative in nature and not subject to the rulemaking process. The FCC believes that the changes are necessary to strengthen the security of its records (including social security numbers and federal Employer Identification Numbers) and make CORES more user friendly as well as strengthen the FCC’s ability to comply with various statutes and regulations governing debt collection activities and the collection of personal information.

The Commission will be implementing a pilot launch on April 29, 2016 for a four month period ending on August 31, 2016 in order to test its proposed system and obtain feedback from users of the CORES system. The pilot program will initially be targeted to users of the Commission’s Cable Operations and Licensing System (COALS) as well as business and governmental entities that have a significant number of registered FRNs associated with a single EIN as well as the top 100 Regulatory Fee payers by FRN. The pilot program initially will not be available for most. The FCC anticipates that the updated version of CORES will be available to the full FCC user community as of September 1, 2016  at https://www.fcc.gov/cores.The current version of CORES will remain available through September 30, 2016 at https://apps.fcc.gov/coresWeb/publicHome.do

Additional details about these modifications can be found on the CORES website at  https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/publicHome.do?help=true

CSAA Annual Meeting 2016 Keynote Speaker Dr. Tasha Eurich Will Share Strategies for “Bankable Leadership”

2016 is Second Year of Multi-Year Reimagining of CSAA’s Signature Event;
Adjustments to Traditional Schedule Will Enable Full Participation in Fewer Days

VIENNA, VA (April 25, 2016) – With a sharp focus on technology and on business and performance management, along with the networking opportunities for which the event is famous, the 2016 CSAA Annual Meeting will give participants the kind of value in both content and engagement that is unmatched at any other industry eventMarco-Island-Logo_vert.

The 2016 meeting will be held at the Marriott Resort Marco Island, Marco Island, FL, on October 22-26. Last year’s Annual Meeting in Sonoma, where a revamped education program took center stage, garnered rave reviews from attendees. “CSAA is entering the second phase of the reimaging of its Annual Meeting,” said CSAA President Pamela J. Petrow. “In 2015 a new emphasis was placed on educational programming, and the General Sessions were a hit with attendees. CSAA intends to bolster that emphasis on fresh, meaningful education in 2016. In addition, we are changing the traditional scheduling by reversing the program for Saturday and Sunday. The schedule change will allow attendees who are not on the Board of Directors to shorten their stay at the meeting by one day — and still participate in all educational programming and committee meetings as well as the high-level networking opportunities that the Annual is known for.”

Tasha Eurich low resKeynote speaker Dr. Tasha Eurich is an organizational psychologist, speaker and New York Times best-selling author of Bankable Leadership — and a fresh, modern voice in the leadership world. By pairing her scientific grounding in human behavior with a pragmatic approach to business challenges, she has helped thousands of leaders over the last fifteen years. With a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Colorado State University, Eurich serves on the adjunct faculty of the Center for Creative Leadership, one of the top ten executive development institutions in the world. She’s also the principal of The Eurich Group, an executive development firm that helps companies succeed by improving the effectiveness of their leaders and teams.

As a passionate, often humorous and always enlightening speaker, Eurich travels the world spreading her message. She contributes to Entrepreneur Magazine, has been featured in outlets like ForbesThe New York TimesCNBCUSA Today, INC. MagazineToday.com, and CNN. She has been named one of Denver Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” as well as a “Top 100 Thought Leader” by Trust Across America, alongside Stephen Covey, Jim Kouzes, and Bill George. In 2015, she was named a “Leader to Watch” by the American Management Association along with notables including Patrick Lencioni, Ram Charan, and Chip Heath.

“We are pleased to feature a ‘next-generation’ speaker at the Annual Meeting,” said Petrow. “CSAA members are always looking toward the future, and Dr. Eurich is sure to provide them with new strategies to stay ahead of today’s leadership challenges.”

Education sessions (October 24-26) at the Annual Meeting will focus on how alarm industry leaders can address critical issues and challenges facing the monitoring industry, including workforce development, executive management, technology updates, and telecomm issues. The complete roster of speakers will be announced over the summer.

To further assist attendees, CSAA is offering a limited number of rooms at the headquarters hotel at rates as low as $185/night.  “2015 saw the largest attendance CSAA has had in recent years, and we are confident our reimaging of the meeting will top last year’s record when we convene this fall in Marco Island,” said Petrow.

To register for the CSAA Annual Meeting, visit csaaintl.org/2016am. The Marriott Resort Marco Island in southwest Florida is on the Gulf of Mexico, just 55 minutes from the Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) or a short drive from Naples, FL. Visit csaaintl.org/2016am for the special reservations link, or call 1-800-GET-HERE (1-800-438-4373).

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 About CSAA International

The Central Station Alarm Association International (CSAA) is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies that are listed by a CSAA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL. CSAA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. Since its incorporation in 1950, CSAA has served its members’ interests through education, online training, meetings and conventions, certification, insurance, and industry standards. www.csaaintl.org. For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at CSAA, 703-242-4670 x 16.

 

Throwback to 1911: Rules for “Troublemen”

Thanks to CSAA Past President Bob Bonifas for sharing a copy of the Chicago Telephone Company’s “Rules for Troublemen” from 1911.

“It looks like in 1911, ‘troublemen’ were still on horses, and I would assume the alarm industry techs were as well,” commented Bonifas. “I thought this was an interesting piece of history on communicating to employees in the jargon of the day — an interesting perspective from a bygone era.”

Check out the 1911 Rules. How do your present-day customer service rules compare?

 

Monitoring Company Outreach Spurs New York State toward ASAP Deployment

ASAP-Concept1DRecent advancements towards ASAP deployment in New York demonstrate what can be achieved when monitoring companies engage in outreach to PSAPs.  The April issue of “eJusticeNY,” the newsletter of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, reports that ASAP is coming soon to New York:

“The state Office of Information Technology Services is working on developing the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol system for state law enforcement agencies that are dispatched using a computer-aided dispatch system. The system is a data exchange between alarm monitoring companies and 9-1-1 PSAP call centers that will replace telephone calls, promote better communication and decrease processing and response times to alarm related calls for service. As the project progresses, information will be distributed on how agencies can help get this innovative technology operational. The following alarm monitoring companies participate in this system and more are being added every month: ADS Nashville, Affiliated, Central Security Group, Diebold, Monitronics, Rapid Response, Safeguard Security, United Central Control, Vivint, ADT, American Alarm, CMS, Guardian Protection, Protection 1, RFI, Stanley, and Vector.”

This is a major step forward! A state communications system issue had been identified early in ASAP’s development as a major obstacle to ASAP deployment in New York. Doyle Security associates Ernie Coles, Kevin Stone and John Doyle, along with Lowitt Alarm and others, were undeterred by the technology challenge. They initiated an outreach program that simultaneously engaged the majority of the state PSAPs through the state’s 9-1-1 association. Once the association understood the program’s value to PSAPs, the association successfully lobbied state CJIS leadership to make ASAP compatibility a reality.

CSAA is pleased to report this exciting news to our members that monitor accounts in New York State. If your company is not yet ASAP-active, or you would like to participate in ASAP outreach efforts, please contact asap@csaaintl.org.

Read the complete issue of eJusticeNY.

 

CSAA Connects with CANASA and ALAS at ISC West

On April 6 at ISC West 2016 in Las Vegas, CSAA staff had the opportunity to meet with the leaders of the Associación Latinoamericana de Seguridad (ALAS) and the Canadian Alarm & Security Association (CANASA). Discussion topics included ASAP, education resources, and the challenges facing associations, among others.

Jay and Heather ISC West 2

From left: Heather Terrence, Executive Director of CANASA, and Jay Hauhn, Executive Director of CSAA, at ISC West 2016.

 

Becky and Albert ISC West

From left: Alberto Alvarez, Chief Executive Officer of ALAS, and Becky Lane, Vice President of Membership, CSAA, at ISC West 2016.

 

Photos by Elizabeth Lasko.