As COVID-19 disrupts American's lives, retailers are adjusting, noted analytics firm Chatmeter Tuesday. Grocery stores dealt with panic buying and stock depletion and now face e-commerce challenges. They're being forced into heavier participation in online ordering and delivery, where it’s important to ensure customers are getting accurate information and positive engagement, said CEO Collin Holmes. Consumer trust relies on accessible and accurate online business listings, said Holmes, saying $10.3 billion in e-commerce revenue is estimated to be lost yearly due to inaccurate search listings. Shoppers have to be able to quickly find accurate information such as special hours, emergency closures, phone number and address, he said: One of 10 grocers surveyed said it responds to customer reviews. That leaves businesses open to misinformation, he said. Holmes pushed voice search as a way for grocers to help shoppers. Some 82% of consumers globally use voice search to find local information, he said.

FirstNet is assisting New York's COVID-19 response, Jason Porter, AT&T senior vice president, FirstNet, blogged Monday. “Hundreds of ambulances from outside the region have entered the city through mutual-aid efforts,” he said. “We deployed FirstNet portable cell sites and new, temporary in-building solutions."

Policymakers should focus on preserving privacy and liberty when addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, while remembering lessons from the 9/11 attacks, Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board Chair Adam Klein and member Ed Felten wrote. The question isn’t whether new programs are needed, but how to implement them, they wrote Saturday for Politico. They noted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s $500 million COVID-19 surveillance and data collection system, and the government’s analysis of cellphone geolocation data via service providers to track and predict the disease’s impact.

Wireless ISPs peak-hours traffic rose 36% on average, and 83% of the companies added subscribers amid COVID-19, the Wireless ISP Association found. The survey released Friday had 150 responses. The survey found 22% are hiring staff to meet the growth and “87% have the equipment to manage new subscribers, yet some are concerned about eventual equipment shortfalls," WISPA said.

NAB and NCTA estimated members' COVID-19 public service announcements were worth about $142 million. NCTA members will run $100 million-plus in PSAs through June, the group said Wednesday. That includes televised, digital and social media spots. The figure remained current Friday, an NCTA spokesperson said. That day, NAB said broadcasters donated $42 million-plus in airtime since a PSA campaign began March 12. More than 175,000 spots aired. Experts called such announcements an effective way to educate people about the pandemic (see 2004030013).

With Mediacom "stable both operationally and financially," CEO Rocco Commisso Friday said it has no plans for layoffs and it will "continue to provide [its 4,500 workers] with gainful employment, pay and benefits through at least May 31, 2020." The hope is by then, "this pandemic will be over and our business and lives will return to normal," he said.

Governments at all levels should adopt consistent personal movement and work guidelines for information and communications technology workers during COVID-19, some 30 trade associations urged Friday. “Ensure that critical technology service workers can build, maintain and run these technology tools," said Information Technology Industry Council CEO Jason Oxman. Joining were ACT|The App Association, BSA|The Software Alliance, the Software and Information Industry Association and USTelecom, along with others from the U.S. and elsewhere.

WOW CEO Teresa Elder made "remarkable" progress, and was discharged Wednesday after being hospitalized five days earlier with COVID-19 (see 2003300002), the cable ISP emailed Friday. She's recovering at home. It's unclear when she will return to work.

Wireless equipment maker PCTEL said Thursday it’s suspending a share repurchase program because of COVID-19. The company had repurchased 375,000 shares for about $2 million. “Given the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 virus and its impact on economic and market conditions, the Board determined that it is prudent to terminate" the program, said CEO David Neumann: “Maintaining our strong balance sheet will allow PCTEL flexibility to address the unique and evolving challenges.” The stock closed up 1.12% at $5.42.

Direct agencies to “extend public comment periods by at least 45 days” after the end of the COVID-19 “emergency,” House committee chairmen wrote OMB Wednesday. They also requested rescheduling of hearings and meetings. Fourteen chairmen signed, including House Commerce Committee's Frank Pallone, D-N.J.; House Judiciary's Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y.; and House Homeland Security's Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. OMB didn’t comment Thursday.