California Public Utilities Commission F I L E D 05-09-08 09:24 AM Final Analysis Report May 9, 2008 Reliability Standards for Telecommunications Emergency Backup Power Systems and Emergency Notification Systems Pursuant to California Public Utilities Code § 776, § 2872.5 and § 2892 DISCLAIMER: This document should be printed in color to enable a full understanding of the Figures and Tables. Final Report Pursuant to California Assembly Bill 2393 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................ 1 Actions Taken by the CPUC in Support of OIR R.07-04-015............................................................ 1 Analysis Work Undertaken in Support of OIR R.07-04-015.............................................................. 2 Overall Findings and Possible Options ............................................................................................. 4 Definitions.................................................................................................................................. 4 Issue #1 – Backup Power at Customer Premises.................................................................. 5 Issue #2 – Emergency Notification.......................................................................................... 7 Issue #3 – Backup Power at Network Sites.......................................................................... 10 Issue #4 – Compliance to NRIC Best Practices ................................................................... 10 Issue #5 – Fuel-Cell Backup Generators .............................................................................. 11 Work Status and Outstanding Issues ................................................................................... 12 1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................... 13 1.1 Purpose ....................................................................................................................... 13 1.2 Background................................................................................................................. 13 1.2.1 Powering in Telecommunications Networks........................................................... 13 1.2.2 Legislation: Assembly Bill No. 2393......................................................................... 13 1.2.3 Order Instituting Rulemaking (OIR) to Implement AB 2393 ................................... 14 1.3 Problem Definition...................................................................................................... 15 1.3.1 Issue 1: Backup Batteries Installed on the Property of Residential & Small Commercial Customers............................................................................................. 15 1.3.2 Issue 2: Need for Standardization in Emergency Notification Systems and Protocols..................................................................................................................... 16 1.3.3 Issue 3: Backup Power Installed on the Network Side to Ensure Communications during Power Outage .................................................................. 16 1.3.4 Issue 4: Level of Implementation of the NRIC Backup Power Best Practices by the Different Telecom Industry Segments............................................................... 17 1.3.5 Issue 5: Feasibility of the Use of Zero Greenhouse Gas Emission Fuel Cell Systems....................................................................................................................... 17 1.4 Scope ........................................................................................................................... 18 1.5 Document Organization ............................................................................................. 18 2 APPROACHES & STEPS TAKEN ...........................................................................................21 3 PARALLEL REGULATORY EFFORTS RELEVANT TO AB 2393..........................................22 3.1 FCC............................................................................................................................... 22 3.1.1 Hearing Aid Compatibility.......................................................................................... 23 3.1.2 Emergency Alert Systems ......................................................................................... 23 3.1.3 D Block 700 MHz Auction .......................................................................................... 24 3.2 Texas PUC ................................................................................................................... 25 May 2008 Page i Final Report Pursuant to California Assembly Bill 2393 4 ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION & LIST OF AVAILABLE OPTIONS.......................................27 4.1 Definitions ................................................................................................................... 28 4.1.1 Small Commercial Customer..................................................................................... 28 4.1.2 Emergency Usage....................................................................................................... 28 4.2 Backup Batteries Installed on the Property of Residential & Small Commercial Customers (Issue 1)................................................................... 29 4.2.1 Background Information............................................................................................ 29 4.2.1.1 Description of Telecom Powering Architectures .................................. 29 4.2.1.2 Current Available Backup at Customer Premises.................................. 33 4.2.1.3 Reserve Time.............................................................................................. 34 4.2.2 Costs, Benefits and Financial Impacts..................................................................... 36 4.2.2.1 Outage Analysis......................................................................................... 36 4.2.2.2 Backup Power Options ............................................................................. 38 4.2.3 List of Available Options ........................................................................................... 40 4.2.3.1 Minimum Operating Lifetime .................................................................... 40 4.2.3.2 Available Backup Time.............................................................................. 40 4.2.3.3 Battery Status............................................................................................. 41 4.2.3.4 Performance Criteria ................................................................................. 42 4.2.3.5 Consumer Awareness and Education for Battery Backup at Customer Premise ....................................................................................................... 43 4.3 Need for Standardization in Emergency Notification Systems and Protocols (Issue 2) ....................................................................................................................... 45 4.3.1 Background Information............................................................................................ 45 4.3.2 Current Status and Options for Notification Systems............................................ 46 4.3.2.1 Standardized Notification Systems ......................................................... 46 4.3.2.2 Random Activation and Congestion........................................................ 48 4.3.2.3 Short Message Service (SMS) .................................................................. 49 4.3.2.4 Other Regulatory and Industry Initiatives ............................................... 49 4.3.2.5 Education.................................................................................................... 50 4.3.3 Firestorm Workshop (Summary of Major Issues & Actions Taken)...................... 51 4.4 Backup Power Installed on the Network Side to Ensure Communications during Power Outages (Issue 3)............................................................................................ 54 4.4.1 Background Information............................................................................................ 54 4.4.1.1 Current Available Backup in Network Sites............................................ 56 4.4.2 Cost Factors................................................................................................................ 57 4.4.2.1 Collateral Cost Effects .............................................................................. 58 4.4.3 List of Available Options ........................................................................................... 58 4.5 Level of Implementation of Best Practices by the Different Telecom Industry Segments (Issue 4)..................................................................................................... 61 4.5.1 Background Information............................................................................................ 61 4.5.1.1 NRIC-VII Best Practices: Industry’s Perspective as Stated by Focus Groups 3A & 3B in 2005 ............................................................................ 61 4.5.1.2 NRIC-VII Focus Group 3A & 3B: Power Effectiveness Survey (2005).. 61 May 2008 Page ii Final Report Pursuant to California Assembly Bill 2393 4.5.1.3 NRIC-VII Focus Group 3A & 3B: Power Issues for