Blog Posts by Mary Bucher

What’s in a name? [1]

by Mary Bucher, Technologies, Systems and Innovation Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau

March 30, 2011

I am happy to announce that the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau’s Spectrum Management, Resources and Technologies Division has a new name. (Sorry to disappoint those looking for a discussion of Shakespeare or roses.) We are now the Technologies, Systems and Innovation Division (aptly known as the Tech Division). We’ve changed our name to more clearly reflect our core mission and responsibilities.
The Tech Division is primarily responsible for developing and managing the Wireless Bureau’s information technology tools, systems and programs. This includes managing multiple automated systems [2], developing innovative web-based tools [3] and providing advanced mapping and data analysis capabilities.
As part of our rebranding, we plan to place even more emphasis on adding additional transparency to Bureau processes and access to underlying data through the Bureau’s online presence using latest web methodologies.
The Tech Division also promotes fast and efficient licensing of wireless services through our licensing support and outreach functions which include the Universal Licensing System (ULS) Technical Support Hotline [4] and attending industry trade shows to promote key functions of the Bureau.
The name "Technologies, Systems & Innovation" more accurately reflects these goals and responsibilities than the former name. With this change, we will be better positioned to succeed in our mission of developing and managing innovative tools and systems, enabling data driven policy decisions and equipping the public with timely, useful information about wireless services. Besides, the Tech Division has a nice ring to it!

Welcome to the Spectrum Dashboard [5]

by Mary Bucher

March 18, 2010

201 Welcome to the FCC’s beta release of the Spectrum Dashboard [3]. The new Spectrum Dashboard’s versatility lets you review how spectrum bands are allocated and used and also lets you identify license holders in specific areas. The initial version we release today provides plain language information of mobile broadband service frequencies between 225 MHz and 3.7 GHz. In addition, the Spectrum Dashboard contains enhanced search, mapping and data download capabilities for licenses in those broadband service bands. These enhanced research functions are currently available for licenses in 700 MHz, 800 MHz Cellular, Advanced Wireless Service, Broadband Personal Communications Service, 2.3 GHz Wireless Communications Service, Broadband Radio Service, Educational Broadband Service, Full Power TV Broadcast, and Mobile Satellite Service.

The primary source of information on frequency usage or spectrum allocation is Part 2 of the FCC rules. These rules often contain technical language and terms of art that may be difficult for the general public to understand. In contrast, the Spectrum Dashboard highlights important information from those rules using plain language to help the public understand many aspects of band use.

We want the Spectrum Dashboard to be a “one-stop shopping” portal for licensing information by combining the information currently available on separate electronic databases and filing systems. The Spectrum Dashboard repackages some of our existing data in order to make it easier to search and find allowing you to generate maps and export data more easily. Some of the ways this searching capability is now more user friendly include the following: