[cifnmedia] check your radio licenses
- From: "Randall W. Ruble" <randallruble@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Randall W. Ruble" <randallruble@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2004 18:59:41 -0600
FCC Prepares to Cancel 3,000 Public Safety Radio Licenses
International Association of Fire Chiefs, Mar 3 2004
The Federal Communications Commission is preparing to cancel thousands of
public safety radio licenses operating below 800 MHz because agencies failed
to respond to its audit. Follow steps provided by the International
Association of Fire Chiefs to determine if your license is at risk and avert
cancellation.
The Federal Communications Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
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 nonresponsive. 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, Feb. 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%
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%.
What to Do
Complete information on the FCC's license audit is available at
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 nonresponsive.
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.
C 2004, Primedia Business Magazines and Media, a PRIMEDIA company. All
rights reserved. This article is protected by United States copyright and
other intellectual property laws and may not be reproduced, rewritten,
distributed, redisseminated, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast,
directly or indirectly, in any medium without the prior written permission
of PRIMEDIA Business Corp.
Randall W. Ruble
624 North Dutton
Pittsfield, IL 62363
217-370-1051
FAX 303-736-7079
Other related posts:
- » [cifnmedia] check your radio licenses
