Federal Communications Commission	DA 21-685


DA 21-685
Released:  June 11, 2021

REMINDER:  ELECTRONIC FILING REQUIRED FOR ALL WIRELESS RADIO SERVICE APPLICATIONS BEGINNING JUNE 29, 2021 
WT Docket No. 19-212

By this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureaus) remind all applicants, licensees, registrants, and interested parties about the upcoming date on which the Commission’s changes to its e-licensing rules will go into effect.  These changes will decrease costs for consumers and the Commission, enhance transparency of and access to data, significantly improve administrative efficiency, and save a substantial amount of paper annually.
Beginning June 29, 2021, all applicants, licensees, registrants, and interested parties must:  (1) file all applications for Wireless Radio Services electronically via the Universal Licensing System (ULS) and/or the Antenna Structure Registration System (ASR); Filings for Wireless Radio Services that cannot be submitted in ULS or ASR should use the alternate ECFS filing mechanism. See Electronic Filing Now Available for all License Applications in the Wireless Radio Services, Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd 4486 (2020).
 (2) file all pleadings (and delivery of service) related to these systems electronically; and (3) provide an email address on all related FCC Forms. Completing the Transition to Electronic Filing, Licenses and Authorizations, and Correspondence in the Wireless Radio Services, WT Docket No. 19-212, Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 10781 (2020)(R&O).
  
The vast majority of applications filed with the Bureaus have been subject to mandatory electronic filing for over two decades, and the changes adopted by the Commission eliminate the prior exception for certain part 13 commercial radio operator licenses, part 80 maritime licenses, part 87 aviation licenses, part 90 private land mobile shared licenses, part 95 General Mobile Radio Service licenses, part 97 amateur licenses, and part 101 licenses that are part of any of the preceding groups.  Additionally, electronic filing was not previously required for compliance with the Commission’s rules implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Commission’s part 17 rules regarding the construction, lighting, and marking of antenna structures. 47 CFR part 1, Subpart I (Procedures Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act) and pt. 17 (Construction, Lighting, and Marking of Antenna Structures).
   As of June 29, 2021, manually filed applications and pleadings will be dismissed. New section 1.1304(b) to our NEPA rules specifically allows parties to submit a request for waiver of the electronic filing requirement for NEPA-related filings that demonstrates that they are unable to file electronically or shows why filing electronically would be unduly burdensome.  See 47 CFR §§ 1.925(b)(3), 1.1304(b) and R&O, 35 FCC Rcd at 10786, para. 17.  In the event a filer is unable to file an application electronically, the Commission’s existing waiver standard remains the appropriate vehicle to seek relief from the electronic filing requirement.  R&O, 35 FCC Rcd at 10785, para. 12.

In addition, as of June 29, 2021, all Federal Communication Commission correspondence related to Wireless Radio Services will be delivered electronically to the email address on file for a licensee, registrant, or applicant.  The Bureau encourages all parties without a valid email address on file for license(s), registration(s) and/or application(s) granted or filed prior to June 29, 2021, to file an administrative update and/or application amendment to include a valid e-mail address, which can be obtained for free from many sources.  Without a valid e-mail address, licensees, registrants, and applicants risk missing important correspondence from the Commission, including application return letters, license construction reminders, and license renewal reminders. There will be no change to the public shielding of e-mail addresses in the Amateur Radio Service, Aircraft Radio Service, Commercial Radio Operators Services, Ship Radio Service, and the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS).  Should a party need to serve or otherwise contact a licensee whose email address is shielded, the party should contact the Commission for handling of the matter. 

For assistance filing your application(s) electronically, please submit a help request at https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/available-support-services or call the FCC Licensing Support Center at (877) 480-3201, the hours of operation are 8:00 AM- 6:00PM EDT, Monday to Friday.  Interested Parties who have questions concerning this Public Notice may contact Katherine Patsas Nevitt of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Mobility Division, (202) 418-0638, katherine.nevitt@fcc.gov or Tracy Simmons of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Policy and Licensing Division, (717) 338-2657, Tracy.Simmons@fcc.gov.
Action by the Acting Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.
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