WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission last week told Congress it has reduced the wireless backlog to 6,000 regulatory items and plans to eliminate it completely next year.
“This is significant progress toward our goal that by March 1, 2000, no matters pending more than a year will remain with the exception of a very few items requiring additional time (such as complex rulemakings, matters in hearing or proceedings requiring action by another agency or government),” said Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Chief Thomas Sugrue in a Sept. 14 letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.).
Last year, McCain-prompted by industry complaints-blasted the FCC’s wireless bureau for a backlog of 64,000 items. Sugrue, who became WTB head in January, reduced the number to 15,000 by March.
Sugrue said most of the FCC’s wireless data bases have been converted to the new, more efficient Universal Licensing System and that a streamlining task force has been created to ensure such a huge backlog does not occur again.
