COLUMBIA, S.C.-Scana Communications Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Scana Corp. has informed the Federal Communications Commission that it violated certain licensing requirements in establishing and operating an 800 MHz trunked radio network in South Carolina.
The two-way radio system is used by various state agencies, local governments, public safety entities and utilities.
“Scana Communications has self-reported these violations to the FCC after internal audits discovered licensing problems,” said Lawrence M. Gressette Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Scana. “The subsidiary did not profit from these licensing violations. Nevertheless, the actions that led to the violations are completely against Scana’s business ethics and will not be tolerated.”
The company will continue operating the radio network on an interim basis until an alternate service solution is found, but it will be returning to the FCC several licenses that it secured for the network because they were obtained in violation of FCC rules.
Harry M. Lightsey Jr., a prominent public utility and regulatory attorney, has been retained by Scana Communications to oversee the transition of the network. Lightsey is the former president of the College of Charleston, Dean of the University of South Carolina School of Law, and general counsel for the Public Service Commission of South Carolina. He is a director of BellSouth Telecommunications Inc.
“We will cooperate fully with the FCC’s review of Scana Communications’ 800 MHz licenses and work to make sure that our businesses fully comply with all applicable rules and regulations,” Gressette said.
Scana Communications’ principal businesses in personal communications services and fiber-optic communications were not involved in the licensing violations, the company said.
