Advisory group

The FCC has regulatory authority over many complex communications issues. To obtain expert advice on some of these issues, the FCC often calls upon advisory committees comprised of members from the public safety community, communications industry, and citizens' and consulting groups.

 

Past committees

The committees listed below are no longer meeting, but their findings remain on their websites.

  • The Ending 9-1-1 Fee Diversion Now Strike Force

    The Ending 9-1-1 Fee Diversion Now Strike Force (911 Strike Force) is a new federal advisory committee dedicated to studying and making recommendations to address 911 fee diversion — that is, the practice of some states and jurisdictions of using the 911 fees that consumers pay on their phone bills for non-911 purposes.
    more info >>
     

  • Task Force on Optimal Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Architecture (TFOPA)

    The FCC's Task Force on Optimal Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Architecture (Task Force or TFOPA) has been directed to study and report findings and recommendations on structure and architecture in order to determine whether additional consolidation of PSAP infrastructure and architecture improvements would promote greater efficiency of operations, safety of life, and cost containment, while retaining needed integration with local first responder dispatch and support.
    more info >>
  • PSAC

    The PSAC is a Federal Advisory Committee that will provide recommendations to assist the Commission and the Emergency Response Interoperability Center (ERIC) in developing a technical interoperability framework for a nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network.
    more info >>
  • ERIC Technical Advisory Committee

    The mission of the Emergency Response Interoperability Center (ERIC) is to establish a technical and operational framework that will ensure nationwide operability and interoperability in deployment and operation of the 700 MHz public safety broadband wireless network.
    more info >>

  • NRIC

    The mission of the Network Reliability and Interoperability Council (NRIC) was to partner with the FCC, the communications industry and public safety groups to facilitate enhancement of emergency communications networks, homeland security, and best practices across the telecommunications industry.
    Visit web site >>

  • Katrina Panel

    This advisory committee reviewed the impact of Hurricane Katrina on all sectors of the telecommunications and media industries as well as public safety communications and provided recommendations to the Commission on ways to improve disaster preparedness, network reliability, and communications among first responders such as police, fire fighters, and emergency medical personnel. The Panel's submitted its report to the Commission on June 12, 2006 and the Panel's charter expired on June 15, 2006. To review the Panel's report click here (pdf).

  • Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee

    This committee recommended technical requirements by which Commercial Mobile Service (CMS) providers could voluntarily transmit emergency alerts to their subscribers. The committee submitted its recommendations to the Commission on October 12, 2007. To review the committee's report, click here (pdf).

  • Joint Advisory Committee on Communications Capabilities of Emergency Medical and Public Health Care Facilities

    Congress tasked this committee with assessing: (1) specific communications capabilities and needs of emergency medical and public health care facilities, including the improvement of basic voice, data, and broadband capabilities; (2) options to accommodate growth of basic and emerging communications services used by emergency medical an public health care facilities; and (3) options to improve integration of communications systems used by emergency medical and public health care facilities with existing or future emergency communications networks. The committee submitted its report to Congress on February 4, 2008. To review the committee's report, click here (pdf).