This reports on data from September. Two-thirds of the operators responded to the FCC. Of those, only 80% were done. The charts, which did not copy here, are worth looking at. There is no mention I can find of embedded systems, which we can pretty well assume have not been remediated, since there is no evidence to the contrary.

http://www.fcc.gov/year2000/ib-supp.html

FCC Y2K Communications Sector Report: Satellite Supplement (October 1999)

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In June 1999, in an effort to obtain updates on the status of the satellite industrys Y2K readiness, the FCC re-surveyed the respondents to the December 1998 survey. Results of the December 1998 survey were reported in the FCCs Y2K Communications Sector Report released in March 1999. The survey response rate was moderately satisfactory. The Commission contacted 18 operators who had responded to the first survey for updated information. We received 12 responses. As the respondent companies constitute a large percentage of the satellite services industry, their responses provide a viable Y2K industry analysis. The second survey data indicates that overall the completion dates for some companies slipped slightly, but there is no significant variance from the first data. The August and September dates in this report were followed up and confirmed with phone calls due to the time lapse between survey date and the publish date.

Figure 1- Average Percent Complete

[Table shows 80% complete - worth looking at]

Of the responding companies, over 70 percent indicated they have implemented a formal Y2K plan. As represented in figure 1, the respondents with formal Y2K processes have on average completed almost 100 percent of the inventory stage and nearly 95 percent of the assessment stage for network elements, support systems, and auxiliary systems. Inventory stages for most companies were completed by January 1999 and assessment stages were, on average, finished by March 1999. Approximately 90 percent of the remediation and testing for network elements have been accomplished, and average completion date for all respondents was June 1999. (See figure 2.)

Responses for the integrated testing phase, as in the first survey, varied. Responses ranged from 20 to 100 percent completion. About half of the companies have reached 100 percent completion in the testing phase. Yet, a roughly equal number have only attained readiness levels of 75 percent or below.

Survey results indicated rollout phases for companies network elements, support systems, and auxiliary systems had the lowest preparation levels. Rollout phases for network elements only averaged 68 percent completion, with 100 percent completion by August 1999. Similarly, the average percentage completion for the rollout phase of support systems and auxiliary systems was only 78 percent and 81 percent respectively.

Figure 2- Average Completion Date

[Table didn't copy]

Responses to questions addressing probability of failure and risk showed over 90 percent completion in all areas. These included network elements, support systems, auxiliary systems, electric power, and suppliers. Companies expected finalization for network elements, support systems, auxiliary systems, and electric power by June 1999, and for suppliers by July 1999.

Questions regarding the preparation of contingency planning also received mixed responses. While 4 companies responses indicated 100 percent completion, another 5 were between 25 to 85 percent complete, and 3 others failed to respond to the contingency questions. However, as seen in figure 3, the companies still average nearly 80 percent preparedness for all areas of the contingency planning phase. But, the contingency planning question had, on average, the latest date forecasted for completion on the entire survey. The contingency planning completion date for all areas (network elements, support systems, auxiliary systems, electric power and suppliers) was August 1999. (See figure 4.) Figure 3

Figure 4

As seen in figure 5, some of the companies responded that they would not be completed with network elements and support systems for the inventory, assessment, and remediation phases until October 1999. One respondent even predicted that they would not be complete in their rollout phase until December 1999. The average latest completion date for all respondents for all phases was September 1999. All but one of the respondents indicated that their latest completion date for all phases - inventory, assessment, and remediation phases - was September 1999.

Based on these results, the Commission is generally pleased to see that many satellite companies are prepared for the year 2000 transition. However, there is still concern for those companies whose responses indicated late completion dates and low percentages for certain phases and areas. The integration and rollout phases are prime examples. (See figure 5.) The Commission urges these companies to attain 100 percent completion in these phases by or before the dates predicted. Figure 5- Latest Completion Date

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| Commission Activities | Y2K Report | International Visitors Program | | Industry Activities | Testing | GPS Technical Note | | Links to manufacturers | Link to ITU | NRIC (with International assessments) | | FCC Homepage | FCC Y2K Page | FCC Y2K Suggestions | Other International Links | Last Updated: October 25, 1999 Comments concerning this page can be directed to Peter Pappas http://www.fcc.gov/year2000/international.html

-- Anonymous, December 08, 1999

Answers

Is losing satelite communication capabilities a show-stopper for electric power, a nuisance or an incremental degredation to service. Realize answer is not one-size fits all but how depedent is electricity on satelite capabilities?

-- Anonymous, December 08, 1999

Hi Snyder. I hope it's not getting too cold up your way already...communications have always been considered a "wild card" for utilities, because they depend on that technology so much for day- to-day operations.

Paul: The major two ways that utilities use satellite technology are with satellite clocks and phones. As you know, sat phones have been available only very recently, but they are in most utility contingency plans in case land lines are lost. The sudden demand for these phones has caused shortages and long lead times for getting the phones.

Satellite clocks have been in wide use for several years. As far as I know, the two most common uses are to drive the SCADA clock, and are in substations as an accurate time signal. The clocks in substations are very useful in doing "post-mortem" analysis...when power disturbances occur, the equipment is designed to operate so quickly that millisecond-accuracy is desirable. Also, many events result in breaker operations at more than one location, so the satellite clock helps "line up" the oscillograms to see whether equipment operated properly.

In either case, I wouldn't consider satellite failure a "show stopper" for power companies, but it sure helps to have them.

-- Anonymous, December 10, 1999