Subject: [NEXTEL-1] FCC REORGANIZES WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2003 10:03:56 -0500

From: "ARRL Letter Mailing List"
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003 19:02:59 -0500
Subject: The ARRL Letter, Vol 22, No 47

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The ARRL Letter
Vol. 22, No. 47
November 28, 2003
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==>FCC REORGANIZES WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU

The FCC has announced a reorganization of its Wireless Telecommunications
Bureau (WTB) <http://wireless.fcc.gov/> "to more effectively support the
FCC's strategic goals--broadband, competition, spectrum, media, homeland
security and modernizing the FCC." The WTB administers the Amateur Radio
Service (Part 97) and amateur licensing, but the changes are expected to
be transparent to the amateur community. The Amateur Service now will be
administered by the newly named Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure
Division. D'wana Terry, formerly chief of the Public Safety and Private
Wireless Division, will head the new division.

"The bureau's portfolios have been redistributed along the lines of
strategic goals, consolidating similar functions to focus resources
better," the FCC said in a November 24 public notice. As a result of the
reorganization, which the FCC approved November 13, WTB expands from five
to six divisions: Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure, Spectrum
Management Resources and Technologies, Auctions and Spectrum Access,
Spectrum and Competition Policy, Mobility, and Broadband.

In addition to the Amateur Service, the Public Safety and Critical
Infrastructure Division will oversee Part 95, Marine, Aviation,
Intelligent Transportation Systems, Public Safety Fixed Microwave, Public
Safety and Private Land Mobile services and E911, among other areas.
Responsibilities moved elsewhere include Fixed Microwave (Part 101),
Instructional Television Fixed Service, the Multipoint Distribution
Service, and the Multichannel Video Distribution and Data Service.

The action reduces the scope and size of WTB's larger divisions and
eliminates separate branches below the division level, while retaining
their current functions. One of those was the Licensing and Technical
Analysis Branch, headquartered in the FCC's Gettysburg, Pennsylvania,
office. Among other tasks, that branch has handled the granting and
issuance of Amateur Radio licenses and the vanity call sign program.
Another was the Policy and Rules Branch at FCC Headquarters, which has
been the home of Bill Cross, W3TN, an FCC figure well-known within the
amateur community. Among other tasks, that branch has handled Amateur
Radio rule making petitions and Part 97 rules interpretations.

A potential plus of the new arrangement is that Cross now will work under
another amateur licensee, Mike Wilhelm, WS6BR, who will report to Terry.

The FCC said eliminating branches would promote greater management
flexibility in deploying resources and lead to a flatter, more flexible
organization without altering the bureau's overall mission. The
Commission
said it was able to carry out the reorganization by redeploying existing
positions.

WTB Chief John Muleta said the reorganization will result in "a
mission-driven team that will be innovative in its approach to regulatory
policies and customer service."

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The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the 
American Radio Relay League--225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; 
tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259; <http://www.arrl.org>. 
Jim Haynie, W5JBP, President.

Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole
or
in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given
to
The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League.

==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, [email-masked]
==>ARRL News on the Web: <http://www.arrl.org>

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