WASHINGTON-President Bush is expected to appoint wireless lawyer Nancy Victory to head the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, according to administration and industry sources.
Victory is a law partner at Wiley, Rein & Fielding in Washington, D.C., where she specializes in the firm’s communications and government affairs practices. The law firm has represented various wireless companies and the Personal Communications Industry Association. Victory and Thomas Dombrowsky Jr. co-authored the Antenna and Tower Site Compliance Handbook.
Victory’s name initially was not among those speculated for the NTIA post. Until recently, Patricia Paolleta, a Level 3 Communications lobbyist and a former House Commerce Committee aide, and Howard Waltzman, another congressional telecom staffer, were mentioned prominently as leading candidates to oversee NTIA.
If appointed and confirmed as NTIA director, Victory would be thrust into the most controversial wireless issue of the day. NTIA, which manages federal government spectrum and advises the president on telecom policy, is working with the Federal Communications Commission and others to free up additional spectrum for third-generation wireless systems.
The 700 MHz, 1700 MHz, 2500 MHz bands, which were identified for 3G by the World Radiocommunication Conference last year, are occupied by broadcasters, the Pentagon, churches, schools, broadband Internet carriers and others.
