FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
May 21, 2001                            Meribeth McCarrick at (202) 418-0654

   WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU CONVERTS FINAL WIRELESS
           SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSAL LICENSING SYSTEM
                                
I.        Washington, D.C.   The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) of the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced today that it has converted all wireless
licensing systems to the new Universal Licensing System (ULS).  The latest conversion of
commercial radio operator services to ULS on May 21 marks a major milestone for FCC and the
Bureau. 
II.       "I want to recognize the hard work and dedication of FCC staff who achieved this
successful deployment," Tom Sugrue, Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau said,
"as well as the cooperation of our customers in implementing a new web-based electronic filing
and information system."
III.      ULS interactively processes applications, grants licenses, and significantly
improves availability of application and license information for all radio services regulated by the
Bureau. ULS replaced 11 wireless licensing systems with one system and more than 40 forms
with four main forms. ULS is designed so that license application and public access information
is at the fingertips of anyone, anywhere, who has access to a computer, modem, and Web-
browser.
IV.       Since ULS became operational in June 1998, more than 500,000 licenses have
been granted through the system.  With the addition of 300,000 existing commercial radio
operator licenses to the ULS database this month, ULS now maintains a database of more than
two million active licenses. 
V.        The Bureau continues to work with industry groups to smooth the transition to
ULS, to increase user friendliness,  to enhance the filing and information retrieval process, and to
meet accessibility requirements. 
VI.       In 1999 the ULS Task Force received the "Hammer Award" for the development
and initial deployment of ULS.
                          VII.- FCC -
VIII.     Wireless Telecommunications Bureau contacts: David Furth (202) 418-0632; or
for technical information: Karen Wrege at (202) 418-0667.  Commercial Wireless Division
contact: Denise Walter at (202) 418-0359.  Public Safety and Private Wireless Division contact:
Mary Shultz at (717) 338-2656.