On May 21, 2026, the FCC released the Third Report and Order (“Order”) aimed at modernizing the Commission’s Disaster Information Reporting System (“DIRS”) by streamlining reporting requirements, reducing administrative burdens on communications providers, and improving the usefulness of disaster-related outage information for emergency response officials. The Order was adopted at the May Open Meeting.
- The Order seeks to simplify DIRS reporting by replacing multiple worksheets with a single dynamic form, creating a “one-click” option for providers to certify that no changes have occurred since the prior filing, and eliminating several reporting fields as well as the post-DIRS-deactivation final report requirement. In addition, the draft Order directs the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (“PSHSB”) to upgrade the DIRS platform to improve providers’ ability to voluntarily submit geospatial outage and coverage information.
- The item also revises its mandatory DIRS reporting obligation to apply only to facilities-based providers, exempting providers that do not own or operate their own facilities or infrastructure in the DIRS activation area.
- The Order establishes mandatory DIRS reporting obligations for public safety voice and broadband network operators, including networks used by first responders, requiring daily reports about their infrastructure status when the FCC activates DIRS in geographic areas where they provide service.
- The Order declines to require mandatory DIRS reporting for satellite providers at this time but elects to retain voluntary satellite reporting capabilities in DIRS given the increasing importance of satellite services to communications resilience, national security, and disaster response.
Compliance Timeframes:
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- With respect to eliminating the post-DIRS deactivation final report and providing a filing exemption for providers that do not own or operate their own facilities, such rules will be effective immediately upon publication of the Third Report and Order in the Federal Register.
- With respect to remaining steps to streamline DIRS, including the creation of a dynamic form, the elimination of unnecessary fields, and the creation of a field to collect more granular location information, the FCC recognizes additional time will be required to modify the DIRS platform. PSHSB is directed to work with stakeholders and implement/test technical changes to the system and ultimately, release a Public Notice to notify stakeholders when those improvements have been implemented.
- Public safety voice and broadband network operators will be required to begin reporting in DIRS on the later of: (i) 30 days after the Bureau announces that the Office of Management and Budget has completed its review of this requirement pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act and that DIRS is ready to receive public safety voice and broadband network operators’ filings; or (ii) November 30, 2026.
The following notable changes were made from the draft item:
- At Commissioner Gomez’s request, the FCC replaced the direct reference to FirstNet managing and operating the nationwide public safety voice and broadband network with a reference to AT&T, and added a footnote clarifying that the public safety voice and broadband network operator (for FirstNet, AT&T) must comply with the reporting requirement to submit daily DIRS reports on infrastructure status when the Commission activates DIRS in areas where it provides service. (¶ 32, n.100)
- The FCC removed language allowing FirstNet to either file in DIRS itself or designate AT&T to do so on its behalf, provided the report included required information on FirstNet subscribers and impacts. (¶ 38)
Compliance Timeframes:
- With respect to eliminating the post-DIRS deactivation final report and providing a filing exemption for providers that do not own or operate their own facilities, such rules will be effective immediately upon publication of the Third Report and Order in the Federal Register.
- With respect to remaining steps to streamline DIRS, including the creation of a dynamic form, the elimination of unnecessary fields, and the creation of a field to collect more granular location information, the FCC recognizes additional time will be required to modify the DIRS platform. PSHSB is directed to work with stakeholders and implement/test technical changes to the system and ultimately, release a Public Notice to notify stakeholders when those improvements have been implemented.
- Public safety voice and broadband network operators will be required to begin reporting in DIRS on the later of: (i) 30 days after the Bureau announces that the Office of Management and Budget has completed its review of this requirement pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act and that DIRS is ready to receive public safety voice and broadband network operators’ filings; or (ii) November 30, 2026.
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