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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).
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JUNE 10, 1999 |
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Meribeth McCarrick at (202) 418-0654 |
FCC INITIATES PUBLIC ACCESS VIA THE INTERNET; ACTS ON PETITIONS FOR RECONSIDERATION OF ITS ULS ORDER
Commission Also Receives Vice President's Hammer Award for Reinventing Government
As a result of today's order, anyone with a computer and Internet software will be able to use his or her Internet account to research and review application and licensing data in ULS. Thus, members of the public have a fast, convenient, and low-cost method of researching current wireless spectrum use. The public will also have access via the Internet to the ULS Geographic Information System, which enables users to create customized maps of licensing data. The order also provides for access via the Internet to application data in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau's (WTB's) auctions database. To ensure the security and reliability of these databases, however, parties participating in electronic bidding or filing wireless applications will continue to dial directly into the Commission's Wide Area Network (FCC WAN) to access ULS or the auctions database.
In a companion order, the FCC also addressed petitions for partial reconsideration of the ULS Report and Order, adopted by the Commission in September 1998. The FCC substantially upheld the ULS Report and Order, but clarified and streamlined certain licensing rules and procedures to reduce filing burdens on wireless applicants. The Commission also extended the transition period for filing pre-ULS forms, and lengthened the period during which applicants can refile applications returned for corrections.
Since December 1997, the WTB has conducted all post-auction licensing in ULS, and has deployed 10 pre-existing wireless services in ULS, including Cellular, Common Carrier Paging, PCS, Aircraft Stations, and the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). The majority of remaining wireless services will be converted from their old licensing systems to ULS in phases during the remainder of 1999. The next service to be converted to ULS will be the Amateur service, scheduled for deployment in August 1999. The Bureau also will be converting its Antenna Registration System to ULS in July 1999.
Finally, today the Commission was awarded the Vice President's Hammer Award for reinventing government for its development of ULS. Karen Freeman of the National Partnership for Reinventing Government (NPR) presented the FCC with the award at the Commission's headquarters in Washington, D.C. Hammer Awards are given to teams of federal, state and local employees, and citizens who work to reinvent government. To learn more about the Hammer Award visit the NPR webpage at: http://www.npr.gov/library/awards/hammer.
Actions by the Commission, June 10, 1999, by Report and Order and Memorandum Opinion and Order on Reconsideration (FCC 99-139, FCC 99-140). Chairman Kennard, Commissioners Ness, Furchtgott-Roth, Powell and Tristani.
News Media contact: Meribeth McCarrick at 202-418-0654, via e-mail at mmccarri@fcc.gov or TTY 202-418-7233.
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau contacts: (ULS Task Force) David Furth at (202) 418-0632, via e-mail at dfurth@fcc.gov or TTY at (202) 418-7233, Karen Wrege at (202) 418-0667, via e-mail at kwrege@fcc.gov or TTY at (202) 418-7233, and Dorothy Conway at (202) 418-7349, via e-mail at dconway@fcc.gov or TTY at (202) 418-7233
WT Docket Nos. 98-20, 95-69, 96-188
WT Report No.99-16