Assn. of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) contends F...

Assn. of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) contends FCC’s new universal licensing system (ULS) “is causing many delays and setbacks for frequency coordinators.” APCO said in news release that Wireless Bureau’s ULS, which manages frequency licensing under standardized structure, didn’t give “adequate consideration” to needs of frequency coordinators who submit applications electronically. Third phase of land mobile radio service converted to ULS in Dec., including industrial business pool. APCO contends no public certified frequency coordinator has been able to submit application to FCC electronically since ULS system went online. APCO has said frequency coordinators’ issues are different from other wireless ULS users because they operate their own databases, using FCC database information and application information. While frequency coordinators have been working with FCC “for years” to prepare for changeover, “even with this lead time, there was little or no indication what impact the ULS would have,” said APCO Automated Frequency Coordination Dir. Ron Haraseth. File structures of database that FCC ran before ULS conversion for land mobile radio service licensees diverged from current system, he told us. “The relationships within an application or within a license are totally different than what it used to be,” he said. “We had no idea or concept of how that would affect our database.” One issue at FCC has been that verification routines for applications now are automated, he said. Haraseth said that means “simple errors” that previously would have passed through now result in filing being returned or dismissed. Without “hard core testing,” switchover didn’t account for ability of frequency coordinators to handle new system, he said. Industrial Telecommunications Assn. (ITA) Pres. Mark Crosby said: “I would suspect that many, if not all, of the frequency advisory committees have had some difficulty adapting to the new ULS requirements. ITA, for its part, is working to address those very diligently.” Hand-off between databases such as that kept by ITA and FCC’s has been challenging, Crosby said. “ITA is close,” he said. “There’s been some delay in getting licenses out, which has segments of the industry somewhat concerned. They have a right to be concerned,” he said. FCC said agency officials plan to meet with frequency coordinators next week to discuss ULS implementation issues.