WASHINGTON-The telecommunications industry last week again urged the Federal Communications Commission to extend the digital wiretap act compliance date to Oct. 25, 2000, instead of the end of the century, as is currently expected.
The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, the Personal Communications Industry Association, the Telecommunications Industry Association and the United States Telephone Association on Tuesday sent a joint letter to the FCC endorsing a similar letter from two high-ranking members of Congress.
Reps. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) and John Conyers (D-Ga.), the leadership of the House Committee on the Judiciary, sent a July 24 letter to FCC Chairman William Kennard urging the FCC to grant a two-year extension. The letter also directs manufacturers to begin building solutions complying with the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and equipment based on the industry standard.
The FCC is reviewing the standard, which the FBI says is deficient. A similar petition from the Center for Democracy and Technology claims the industry standard is too burdensome. The FCC is expected to rule on the standard following a decision, expected shortly, on whether to extend the compliance date.
As it stands today, telecom carriers starting Oct. 25 can be fined $10,000 per day for not complying with CALEA. The industry has argued this is unjustified because the CALEA standard is still under dispute.
