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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202/  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT:  December  18,  2003  David  Fiske  (202)  418-  0513 
 NEXTEL  COMMUNICATIONS  PRESIDENT  &  CEO  TIMOTHY  DONAHUE  TO  CHAIR  NEW  NETWORK  RELIABILITY  AND  INTEROPERABILITY  COUNCIL 
 Washington,  DC  –  FCC  Chairman  Michael  K.  Powell  today  announced  that  Timothy  M.  Donahue,  President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  Nextel  Communications  Inc, 
 will  assume  the  chairmanship  of  the  newly  re-  chartered  Network  Reliability  and  Interoperability  Council  (NRIC  VII). 


 Chairman  Powell  said,  “The  Network  Reliability  and  Interoperability  Council  has  a  long  history  of  bringing  the  industry  together  to  develop  practical  methods  for  improving  the 
 robustness  and  integrity  of  our  Nation’s  telecommunications  networks  and  services.  I  am  delighted  that  a  man  of  Tim  Donahue’s  experience  and  forward  thinking  expertise  will  be  taking 
 over  the  chairmanship  of  this  important  committee  as  it  turns  its  attention  to  emergency  and  E911  services.” 


 Mr.  Donahue  has  served  as  President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  Nextel  Communications,  Inc.  since  August  1999.  He  began  his  career  with  Nextel  in  January  1996  as 
 President  and  Chief  Operating  Officer.  Before  joining  Nextel,  Mr.  Donahue  held  executive  positions  with  AT&  T  Wireless  Services  and  McCaw  Cellular  Communications.  He  is  a  graduate 
 of  John  Carroll  University. 
 NRIC  VII  is  being  charted  for  a  term  from  January  6,  2004  to  January  6,  2006.  In  addition  to  continuing  the  work  of  previous  Councils,  NRIC  VII  will  bring  a  new  focus  to  the 
 systems  engineering  aspects  of  emergency  services.  Mr.  Donahue  is  the  first  wireless  company  executive  to  chair  an  NRIC  panel. 


 Donahue  said,  “I  am  honored  to  accept  Chairman  Powell’s  invitation  to  chair  the  Council  for  the  coming  term.  These  challenging  times  require  that  all  stakeholders  in  the 
 telecommunications  sector  continue  to  work  cooperatively  to  serve  the  public  interest  by  ensuring  the  integrity  of  our  nation’s  communications  infrastructure.” 


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 The  role  of  the  NRIC  is  to  develop  recommendations  for  the  Commission  and  the  telecommunications  industry  to  insure  optimal  reliability,  security,  interoperability  and 
 interconnectivity  of,  and  accessibility  to,  public  telecommunications  networks  and  the  Internet.  NRIC  VII  will  work  on  traditional  reliability  issues  with  a  strong  emphasis  on  national  security. 


 The  Council’s  members  are  senior  representatives  of  providers  and  users  of  telecommunications  services  and  products,  including  telecommunications  carriers,  the  satellite, 
 cable  television,  wireless  and  computer  industries,  trade  associations,  labor  and  consumer  representatives,  manufacturers,  research  organizations  and  government-  related  organizations. 


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