Media Contact: 
Rochelle Cohen, (202) 418-1162
rochelle.cohen@fcc.gov
For Immediate Release
FCC PROPOSES RULES TO PROMOTE RELIABLE SUBMARINE CABLE 
COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE
Proposal Would Require Submarine Cable Licensees to Report Major Outages to FCC 
WASHINGTON, September 17, 2015 – The Federal Communications Commission today 
proposed rules that would require submarine cable licensees to report significant outages to the 
FCC to help safeguard this critical communications infrastructure and promote reliable 
communications for businesses and consumers. 
There are approximately 60 submarine (that is, undersea) cables that provide connectivity –
voice, data and Internet – between the mainland U.S. and Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, American 
Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as 
virtually all connectivity between the U.S. and the rest of the world. While submarine cables are 
vital to America’s economic and national security, licensees currently only report outages on an 
ad hoc basis, and the information received by the FCC is too limited to be of use.
The Commission is therefore seeking timely information about submarine cable outages, with 
enough detail to understand the nature and impact of any damage and disruption to 
communications, help mitigate any impact on emergency services and consumers, and assist in 
service restoration. More consistent reporting on submarine cable outages can improve the 
agency’s ability to spot trends, address systemic issues, and inform policy making. 
Specifically, in the Notice of Propose Rulemaking adopted today, the Commission seeks 
comment on a proposal that submarine cable licensees report major outages (i.e. outages 
involving either lost connectivity or degradation of 50 percent or more of an undersea cable’s 
capacity for periods of at least 30 minutes, regardless of whether the cable’s traffic is re-routed) 
to the agency’s Network Outage Reporting System (NORS). The Commission also seeks 
comment on how the agency can improve submarine cable deployment processes generally. In 
addition, the International Bureau, in coordination with the Public Safety and Homeland Security 
Bureau, will develop and improve interagency coordination to facilitate deployment of this 
critical infrastructure.
Other communications providers – including wireline, wireless, and satellite —already are 
required to report outages to NORS. This has allowed the agency to analyze outage trends and 
work with network operators and providers to develop solutions to make communications more 
resilient and reliable.
Action by the Commission September 17, 2015 by Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 15-
119). Chairman Wheeler, Commissioners Clyburn, Rosenworcel, Pai and O’Rielly. Chairman 
Wheeler, Commissioners Clyburn, Rosenworcel, Pai and O’Rielly issuing statements.  
GN Docket No. 15-206
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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order 
constitutes official action.  See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).