*Pages 1--2 from  Microsoft Word - 37110*
 NEWS  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  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  Contacts:  March  30,  2004  Meribeth  McCarrick  (202)  418-  0654 
 Meribeth.  McCarrick@  fcc.  gov 


 FCC’S  NETWORK  RELIABILITY  AND  INTEROPERABILITY  COUNCIL 
 HOLDS  FIRST  MEETING  UNDER  NEW  CHARTER 
 Council  to  Focus  on  Homeland  Security,  Network  Reliability  and  Broadband  Deployment 


 Washington,  D.  C.  –  The  FCC’s  Network  Reliability  and  Interoperability  Council  (NRIC)  today  conducted  the  first  meeting  under  its  renewed  charter.  NRIC  VII  has  been 
 specifically  chartered  to  provide  the  FCC  with  recommendations  to  ensure  the  reliability  and  evolution  of  emergency  services  networks.  NRIC  VII  will  also  continue  important  work  in  the 
 areas  of  homeland  security,  network  reliability  and  broadband  deployment. 
 “NRIC  has  addressed  a  variety  of  critical  issues  effectively,  from  network  reliability  to  Y2K  to  homeland  security.  This  record  of  accomplishment  gives  me  tremendous  pride  and 
 confidence  as  we  charge  this  seventh  Council  with  solving  new  problems,”  said  FCC  Chairman  Michael  Powell.  “In  this  time  of  heightened  national  concern  for  public  safety  it  is  only  proper 
 for  us  to  focus  a  large  portion  of  NRIC’s  energy  on  the  reliability  and  security  of  our  Nation’s  emergency  services  communications  networks.” 


 NRIC  is  a  56-  member  Council  originally  established  by  the  FCC  in  1992  to  bring  together  leaders  from  the  telecommunications,  ISP,  satellite  and  cable  industries  as  well  as 
 experts  from  academic,  consumer,  and  other  organizations  to  explore  and  recommend  measures  to  enhance  the  security  and  reliability  of  the  nation’s  telecommunications  networks.  Timothy 
 Donahue,  President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  Nextel  Communications  Inc.  serves  as  Chairman  of  NRIC  VII. 


 During  today’s  initial  meeting  an  overview  was  presented  of  NRIC  VII’s  various  objectives.  Specifically,  during  its  two-  year  charter  NRIC  VII  will  make  recommendations 
 concerning  the  following  topics: 
 Emergency  Communications  Networks  Including  E911  Through  a  series  of  reports,  the  Council  will  recommend  ways  to  improve  emergency 
 communications  networks  and  related  network  architectures,  and  facilitate  the  provision  of  emergency  services  through  new  technologies.  The  Council  will  address  topics  such 
 as:  near  and  long  term  issues  for  emergency/  911  services;  the  effectiveness  of  E911  and  public  safety  best  practices  that  have  been  developed;  and  emergency  communication 
 issues  beyond  E911. 
1
 Homeland  Security  Best  Practices  The  Council  will  present  a  final  report  that  describes,  in  detail,  any  additions,  deletions, 
 or  modifications  that  should  be  made  to  the  Homeland  Security  Best  Practices  that  were  adopted  by  the  preceding  Council. 


 Best  Practices  for  Wireless  and  Public  Data  Network  Services  Building  on  the  work  of  previous  Councils,  as  appropriate,  NRIC  VII  will  continue  to 
 develop  Best  Practices  and  refine  or  modify,  as  appropriate,  Best  Practices  developed  by  previous  Councils  aimed  at  improving  the  reliability  of  wireless  networks,  wireline 
 networks,  and  public  data  networks. 
 Broadband  The  Council  will  present  recommendations  to  increase  the  deployment  of  high-  speed 
 residential  Internet  access  service.  The  Council  will  include  Best  Practices  and  service  features  that  are,  and  will  be,  technology-  neutral.  The  Council’s  recommendations  shall 
 be  prepared  in  such  a  way  as:  (1)  to  ensure  service  compatibility;  (2)  to  facilitate  application  innovation;  and  (3)  to  improve  the  security,  reliability  and  interoperability  of 
 both  residential  user  systems  and  service  provider  systems 
 For  further  details  on  NRIC  VII’s  charter  visit  the  Council’s  website  at:  www.  nric.  org 
 -  FCC  - 
 FCC  Contact:  Jeffery  Goldthorp  at  (202)  418-  1096  or  Jeffrey.  Goldthorp@  fcc.  gov 
2