Subject: [NEXTEL-1] FCC Prepares to Cancel 3,000 Public Safety Radio Licenses

From: Marcelrf <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 02 Mar 2004 15:22:49 -0500

IAFC NEWS ALERT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:   IAFC Government Relations
               703/273-0911
 
FCC Prepares to Cancel 3,000 Public Safety Radio Licenses
 
Fairfax, Va., March 2, 2004...The Federal Communications Commission's
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) has been conducting an audit of
the construction and operational status of Private Land Mobile Radio
stations.  The audit includes public safety radio licenses operating
below 800 MHz.  The FCC has now announced that it will proceed with the
cancellation of licensees who have not responded to the audit.
 
Public safety agencies that face loss of their FCC license fall into two
categories, undeliverable and non-responsive.  If the FCC audit letter
was undeliverable, you have until March 27, 2004 to notify the FCC that
your radio system is still in operation to avoid license cancellation.
The FCC will begin a final round of audit mailings on Friday, February
27, 2004, for those agencies that fall into the non-responsive category.
If a response to the latest audit letter is not received by the FCC by
March 31, 2004 the license will cancel automatically.
 
About the Audit
FCC rules require construction within a specified time and require that
stations remain operational in order for the FCC license to remain
valid.  When a licensee fails to construct its authorized facilities
within the requisite construction period or discontinues operation for a
period of one year, the license cancels automatically.
 
The WTB initially sent audit letters to licensees over a six month
period from August 2001 to January 2002.  The initial mailing generated
a 73 percent response rate.  In order to generate a higher response
rate, the bureau updated addresses and sent a second letter in April and
May of 2002.  As of February 2004, the response rate has reached 96
percent.
 
What to Do
Complete information on the FCC's license audit is available at 
http://wireless.fcc.gov/licensing/audits/plmrs/index.html.  The page
contains information on the audit and easy to use tools that will allow
you to determine if your license is at risk, and if it is, how to notify
the FCC of your license status.
 
After accessing the page, you can follow two paths to determine the
status of your license.  The first is a search by call sign.  Under
'Process,' click on the 'search for your call sign(s)' hypertext.  In
the 'License Audit Search' area enter the call sign(s) for your radio
system and click enter.  When the information is displayed click on
'Licensee Name.'  If you have already responded to the audit you will
see 'Buildout Completed' under 'Response' along with the date the FCC
letter was sent and the date your agency replied.   No further action is
required; your license is current.  If your search results in a listing
of the 'Licensee Name' and a list of dates when letters were sent by the
FCC you must act immediately to notify the FCC of your license status.
 
Can't Remember Your Call Sign?
You can also search by your state or territory.  Scroll to the bottom of
the Web page to 'Audit Progress and Results.'  Click on the 'List of
Licensees who have not responded to the mailed audit letters.'   Scroll
down to the 'Nonresponses by State/Territory,' find your state or
territory and then click on 'public safety.'  You can review all public
safety licenses in your state or territory that have not responded.
This listing will also tell you if your audit letter was undeliverable
or your agency was non-responsive.
 
How to Notify the FCC
You may download response forms from the Web site in either a PDF or
Word format, complete the form, and fax to: 717/338-2696.  You may also
mail response forms to:
 
FCC, 2001 PLMR Spectrum Audit Responses 
1270 Fairfield Road 
Gettysburg, PA 17325
 
Once you have submitted the form, you should check the Web site daily to
make sure that your records have been updated.

-end-

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