JPL's Wireless Communication Reference Website

Chapter: Capita Selecta


Federal Communications Commission

The Federal Communications Commission is an independent federal regulatory agency in the United States, responsible directly to Congress. The FCC is established by the Communications Act of l934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. Its jurisdiction covers the 50 states and territories, the District of Columbia and U.S. possessions.

Wireless Telecommunications Bureau

The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) handles all FCC domestic wireless telecommunications programs and policies, except those involving satellite communications. Wireless communications services, includes cellular telephone, paging, personal communications services, public safety and other commercial and private radio services. WTB regulates wireless telecommunications providers and licensees. The Bureau also serves as the Commission's principal policy and administrative resource with regard to spectrum auctions.

The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau has seven divisions: Commercial Radio Division, Enforcement Division, Policy Division, Auctions Division, Private Radio Division, Licensing Division, and Customer Services Division.

The Commercial Radio Division regulates Cellular Services, Personal Communications Services, paging, and Specialized Mobile Radio, Air-Ground, and Basic Exchange Telecommunications Radio Services.

The Enforcement Division ensures compliance with Commission rules, orders, and policies. The Division responds to public information inquiries concerning rates or practices and investigate EEO practices of wireless telecommunications providers.

The Policy Division develops rules and policies to govern wireless telecommunications services, based on current technical, economic, legislative, judicial and regulatory developments.

The Auctions Division conducts auctions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The Division works out the auction procedures, marketing, and application processing.

The Private Radio Division regulates matters concerning Public Safety, Industrial, Land Transportation and other private mobile radio services, Aviation, Marine, Amateur, IVDS, broadcast auxiliary service, Personal Radio Services, point-to-point micr wave, antenna tower clearance, and the radio operator examination program.

The Licensing Division processes applications and licenses of Specialized Mobile Radio, paging, Private Land Mobile, private and common carrier micr wave, broadcast auxiliary, amateur radio, IVDS, aviation and marine, and General Mobile Radio Services.

The Customer Services Division provides technical assistance to consumers, manufacturers, frequency coordinators, and others on questions related to application processing and licensing in the wireless telecommunications services.

WTB on WWW

JPL's Wireless Communication Reference Website source: FCC