FCC Votes to Launch Homeland Security Bureau, in Major Restructuring

The bureau will start out small, with somewhat fewer full-time employees than the 150 in the International Bureau, an FCC official said. The last FCC reorganization took about 2 months to complete and the timetable here should be similar. The bureau will have 3 divisions: policy, public communications outreach and operations and communications systems analysis. The bureau will be in charge of E-911 requirements and communications interoperability, CALEA, priority emergency communications, EAS and public safety outreach, among other responsibilities. Protection of critical infrastructure will remain in other bureaus.

Martin told reporters critical infrastructure and other areas of responsibility could eventually be moved to the new bureau. “What we did decide was that these were the steps that were appropriate in light of what we learned thus far,” he said: “I don’t view anything we didn’t do today as being off limits for changes in the future.”

One of the lessons from Hurricane Katrina was that communications problems are “consistent across platforms” and should be handled together, Martin said: “Access during a time of emergency, making sure you've got adequate fuel for your generators or water for your generators… was a consistent theme we heard from the broadcasters to the cable companies to the telephone companies to the wireless companies.” Martin said in Jan. he planned to explain the need for the bureau in a series of visits to Capitol Hill (CD Jan 23 p1).

But Comr. Copps, who supported creation of the bureau, said the FCC has been too slow to promote emergency communications in the nearly 5 years following the Sept. 11 attacks. “I have said many times that with homeland security, business as usual is not acceptable,” Copps said: “We have the nation’s foremost experts on communications technology working right here… I am pleased that the chairman is moving ahead and taking this important step. I have long thought a separate, highly visible and well- organized bureau was the right way to go.”

Comr. Adelstein said he had concerns that under the restructuring the homeland security bureau will be in charge of public safety spectrum licenses, while other licenses will remain under the Wireless Bureau. “Even as we elevate our public safety and emergency response functions, we must be mindful of our other core Commission functions,” he said. “We must make sure that, in separating out public safety licensing, we do not inadvertently undercut our ability to effectuate spectrum policy, whether unique to public safety or on a more industry-wide basis.”

Various groups including the Assn. of Public Safety Communications Officials, the Wireless Communications Assn. and CTIA endorsed the move. “The new bureau will be well- positioned to coordinate the many facets of emergency communication and the wireless industry is eager to continue offering its unique perspective and capabilities to the nation’s communication needs,” said CTIA Pres. Steve Largent.

Also Fri., the FCC voted out an order that seeks comments on separate proposals by Motorola, Lucent and the National Public Safety Telecom Council to provide public safety agencies with channels big enough to carry streaming video and other more robust applications in the 24 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum set for public safety use after the DTV transition. Current 700 MHz rules divide the 24 MHz into channels no larger than 50 kHz, best suited for voice communications, though the channels can be combined. The revised rules could allow for channels as big as 1.2 MHz.

The NPRM “seeks comment on the types of applications that commenters see as being able to be accommodated in the band, via broadband versus wideband,” said acting Wireless Bureau Chief Catherine Seidel: “We didn’t establish the channel sizes. We're seeking comment on the various proposals.”