The FCC plans to hold a public demonstration of efforts to improve its license management process Jan. 24 from 10:30 a.m. to noon at commission headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) will conduct the demonstration. It will highlight how changes to the Universal Licensing System (ULS) are to be implemented with an automated termination process for licenses and electronic filing of pleadings.
Commission rules state that if a wireless licensee fails to meet construction obligations by the expiration of the applicable construction period, or fails to meet coverage requirements by the expiration of the applicable coverage period, its license terminates automatically, without specific commission action.
The enhancements to ULS are intended to allow automated identification and processing of licenses, locations or frequencies for which a construction notification has not been filed in a timely manner.
If a licensee does not file a notice of construction or a request for extension of time in a timely fashion, ULS will presume that the construction or coverage requirement was not met and will begin the automated termination process, which includes the following:
- The license or license component will be listed on a Public Notice as presumed terminated for not having met the construction or coverage deadline.
- A letter advising that the license or license component has been presumed terminated will be sent to the licensee at its official address of record in ULS.
- Licensees that actually did timely construct, but failed to notify the FCC, will be required to file a Petition for Reconsideration within 30 days of the release of the Public Notice.
- Once the time period for filing a Petition for Reconsideration has lapsed, ULS will automatically change the status of the license or frequency to “terminated,” and the termination will be effective on the day the construction or coverage period expired.
To attend the demonstration requires pre-registration. The demonstration also will be streamed via the Internet.
For more information, visit www.fcc.gov.
