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 FEDERAL  COMMUNICATIONS  COMMISSION 
 Strategic  Plan  2006-  2011 
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 Table  of  Contents 
 Message  from  the  Chairman  ............................................................................................................  i 
 Mission............................................................................................................................................  1 
 About  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  ..........................................................................  1 
 General  Goals..................................................................................................................................  3 
 Goal:  Broadband  ................................................................................................................  5  Goal:  Competition..............................................................................................................  8 


 Goal:  Spectrum  ................................................................................................................  10  Goal:  Media  .....................................................................................................................  13 
 Goal:  Public  Safety  and  Homeland  Security  ...................................................................  15  Goal:  Modernize  the  FCC................................................................................................  19 


 Performance  Goals  for  Each  of  the  Strategic  Goals  .....................................................................  21 
 Evaluation  Plans............................................................................................................................  22 
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 General  Goals 
 The  FCC  is  responsible  to  Congress  and  the  American  people  for  ensuring  that  an  orderly  framework  exists  within  which  communications  products  and  services  can  be  quickly  and 


 reasonably  provided  to  consumers  and  businesses.  Equally  important,  the  FCC  must  also  address  the  communications  aspects  of  public  safety,  health,  and  emergency  operations;  ensure  the 
 universal  availability  of  basic  telecommunications  service;  make  communications  services  accessible  to  all  people;  and  protect  and  inform  consumers  about  their  rights.  The  FCC,  in 
 accordance  with  its  statutory  authority  and  in  support  of  its  mission,  has  established  six  general  goals  for  the  next  five  years.  They  are  as  follows: 


 BROADBAND  All  Americans  should  have  affordable  access  to  robust  and  reliable  broadband  products  and  services.  Regulatory  policies 
 must  promote  technological  neutrality,  competition,  investment,  and  innovation  to  ensure  that  broadband  service  providers  have 
 sufficient  incentive  to  develop  and  offer  such  products  and  services. 


 COMPETITION  Competition  in  the  provision  of  communications  services,  both  domestically  and  overseas,  supports  the  Nations  economy.  The 
 competitive  framework  for  communications  services  should  foster  innovation  and  offer  consumers  reliable,  meaningful 
 choice  in  affordable  services. 


 SPECTRUM  Efficient  and  effective  use  of  non-  federal  spectrum  domestically  and  internationally  promotes  the  growth  and  rapid  deployment 
 of  innovative  and  efficient  communications  technologies  and  services. 


 MEDIA  The  Nations  media  regulations  must  promote  competition  and  diversity  and  facilitate  the  transition  to  digital  modes  of  delivery. 
 PUBLIC  SAFETY  AND  Communications  during  emergencies  and  crises  must  be  HOMELAND  SECURITY  available  for  public  safety,  health,  defense,  and  emergency 
 personnel,  as  well  as  all  consumers  in  need.  The  Nations  critical  communications  infrastructure  must  be  reliable, 
 interoperable,  redundant,  and  rapidly  restorable. 


 MODERNIZE  THE  FCC  The  FCC  shall  strive  to  be  a  highly  productive,  adaptive,  and  innovative  organization  that  maximizes  the  benefit  to 
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 stakeholders,  staff,  and  management  from  effective  systems,  processes,  resources,  and  organizational  culture. 
 The  Sections  that  follow  provide  the  overall  objectives  for  each  of  the  above  Goals.  In  addition,  the  means  and  strategies  for  achieving  these  Goals  and  Objectives  are  outlined.  Finally,  key 
 factors  external  to  the  FCC  and  beyond  its  control  are  identified  for  each  Goal.  These  key  factors  can  significantly  affect  the  FCCs  achievement  of  the  General  Goals. 
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 Goal:  Broadband 
 Vision:  All  Americans  should  have  affordable  access  to  robust  and  reliable  broadband  products  and  services.  Regulatory  policies  must  promote  technological  neutrality,  competition,  investment,  and 
 innovation  to  ensure  that  broadband  service  providers  have  sufficient  incentive  to  develop  and  offer  such  products  and  services. 


 Objective  1:  The  Commission  shall  promote  the  availability  of  broadband  to  all  Americans. 
 Broadband  empowers  by  providing  increased  access  to  information  and  applications,  and  increasingly  affordable  means  to  communicate  within  communities  and  around  the  world.  The  Commission  shall 
 continue  to  encourage  and  promote  broadband  development,  deployment,  and  availability,  particularly  to  those  in  rural,  low-  income,  or  underserved  areas  and  to  persons  with  disabilities.  The  Commission  shall 
 seek  to  understand  consumer  demand  for  broadband  and  to  encourage  deployment  across  multiple  platforms  to  ensure  that  access  is  not  a  barrier  to  adoption  of  affordable  broadband  technologies  as  they 
 become  available.  To  meet  this  objective,  the  Commission  shall  work  in  partnership  with  state,  local,  and  tribal  governments;  consumer  groups;  and  industry. 


 Objective  2:  The  Commission  shall  define  broadband  in  a  technologically  neutral  fashion  that  includes  any  platform  capable  of  transmitting  high-  bandwidth  intensive  services,  applications,  and 
 content. 
 The  definition  of  broadband  shall  encompass  any  advanced  telecommunications  capability  and  advanced  services  without  regard  to  how  such  capability  or  services  are  provided.  Thus,  it  shall  include 
 wireline  and  wireless,  licensed  and  unlicensed,  and  terrestrial  and  satellite  services  and  facilities.  It  should  be  flexible  enough  to  include  future,  next-  generation  high-  speed  offerings  that  may  not  be  in  use 
 today,  thus  taking  into  account  the  continually  evolving  nature  of  broadband  technology. 


 Objective  3:  The  Commission  shall  ensure  harmonized  regulatory  treatment  of  competing  broadband  services. 
 Robust  competition  among  broadband  technologies  is  key  to  the  further  development  and  maturation  of  the  advanced  services  marketplace.  The  traditional  categories  of  telecommunications  and  information 
 services  and  providers,  and  the  disparate  methods  of  regulating  them,  may  no  longer  be  appropriate.  The  Commission  shall  ensure  harmonized  regulatory  treatment  of  broadband  access  services  across  platforms. 
 At  the  same  time,  the  Commission  shall  ensure  that  its  regulatory  approach  does  not  promote  one  technology  over  another. 


 Objective  4:  The  Commission  shall  encourage  and  facilitate  an  environment  that  stimulates  investment  and  innovation  in  broadband  technologies  and  services. 
 Increased  public  demand  for  faster,  more  robust  broadband  services  shall  stimulate  investment  and  innovation.  The  establishment  of  policies  that  reward  innovation  and  investment  in  facilities  and 
 infrastructure  shall  lead  to  further  deployment  of  new  advanced  telecommunications  capability.  The 
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 Commission  must  strive  to  achieve  a  balance  between  providing  incentives  to  invest  in  and  develop  broadband  technologies  and  applications,  and  maintaining  competitive  entry  and  access  requirements. 
 The  Commission  must  be  diligent  in  enforcing  any  necessary  market-  opening  regulations  to  ensure  that  all  Americans  have  access  to  high  quality,  affordable  broadband  service,  while  at  the  same  time  refraining 
 from  any  unnecessary  regulation. 


 Objective  5:  The  Commission  shall  continue  to  monitor  the  deployment  of  advanced  telecommunications  capability  in  order  to  provide  ongoing  national  and  international  policy 
 leadership  and  consumer  education  in  the  emerging  broadband  arena. 
 Section  706  of  the  Telecommunications  Act  of  1996  requires  the  Commission  to  encourage  deployment  of  advanced  telecommunications  capability.  To  implement  this  requirement,  the  Commission  has 
 undertaken  regular  inquiries  to  determine  whether  such  capability  is  being  deployed  to  all  Americans  on  a  reasonable  and  timely  basis  and  to  take  action,  if  necessary,  to  accelerate  broadband  deployment.  The 
 effective  monitoring  of  developments  in  domestic  and  international  broadband  deployment  and  demand  is  critical  to  the  Commissions  ability  to  provide  policy  leadership  to  federal,  state,  and  local  governments 
 within  the  United  States,  as  well  as  other  nations,  and  to  inform  consumers  about  the  availability  of  and  advantages  of  adopting  broadband  technologies  through  outreach  and  education.  By  studying  and 
 understanding  what  drives  broadband  adoption  in  this  and  other  countries,  and  through  participation  in  international  fora,  the  Commission  will  better  be  able  to  facilitate  broadband  deployment  in  this  country. 


 Additional  Means  and  Strategies: 
 The  Commission  must  employ  rigorous,  effective  policy  analysis,  innovative  rulemaking,  and  sound  economic  decision-  making  in  addressing  policies  regarding  broadband  deployment.  Furthermore, 
 working  in  partnership  with  state,  local,  and  tribal  governments,  the  Commission  must  facilitate  discussions  among  key  groups  of  constituents,  including  industry  and  consumer  groups,  to  identify  and 
 establish  best  practices. 


 Factors  Affecting  the  Achievement  of  This  Goal: 
 Technological:  Despite  significant  recent  developments,  broadband  infrastructure  is  not  yet  universally  deployed,  particularly  in  rural  areas.  Some  platforms  are  not  suitable  for  deployment  in  certain  areas  of 


 the  country  due  to  physical  impediments.  Nevertheless,  as  broadband  infrastructure  continues  to  develop,  it  appears  that  an  increasing  number  of  traditional  telecommunications  services  will  migrate  to  broadband 
 platforms. 
 Economic:  From  the  consumers  perspective,  the  retail  price  of  broadband  services  relative  to  other  services  such  as  dial-  up  Internet  access  has  impacted  adoption  decisions,  despite  the  availability  of 
 packages  offering  bundled  broadband  and  other  services.  Some  service  providers  argue  that  regulatory  requirements  increase  their  costs  and  reduce  their  incentive  to  invest  in  broadband,  placing  them  at  an 
 economic,  and  thus  competitive,  disadvantage.  Of  particular  concern  are  those  consumers  in  sparsely  populated  areas  and  specialized  demographic  groups  such  as  minorities  and  the  disabled  community. 


 Legal:  The  Commission  is  in  the  midst  of  several  proceedings  regarding  the  appropriate  regulation  of  broadband  services.  Changes  to  legislation  and  decisions  on  pending  court  cases  addressing  broadband 
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 regulation  may  affect  these  regulations,  as  well. 
 Organizational:  The  appropriate  policy  and  regulatory  roles  for  the  Commission  in  the  emerging  broadband  market  must  be  universally  and  clearly  understood  throughout  the  Agency. 
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 Goal:  Competition 
 Vision:  Competition  in  the  provision  of  communications  services,  both  domestically  and  overseas,  supports  the  Nations  economy.  The  competitive  framework  for  communications  services  should  foster 
 innovation  and  offer  consumers  reliable,  meaningful  choice  in  affordable  services. 


 Objective  1:  The  Commission  shall  foster  sustainable  competition  across  the  entire  communications  sector. 
 The  Commission  shall  implement  and  enforce  policies  that  ensure  that  U.  S.  consumers  benefit  from  competition  in  domestic  and  global  services.  Domestically,  the  Commission  shall  implement  rules  and 
 policies  that  promote  open  and  competitive  entry  by  communications  service  providers  and  place  primary  reliance  on  market  forces  to  stimulate  competition,  technical  innovation,  and  development  of  new 
 services  for  the  benefit  of  consumers.  The  Commission  shall  seek  to  establish  a  consistent  and  transparent  regulatory  framework  across  all  communications  platforms  (e.  g.,  wireline,  wireless,  satellite, 
 cable)  to  encourage  both  intra-  modal  and  inter-  modal  competition.  The  Commission  shall  continue  to  engage  consumers  through  its  outreach  and  education  initiatives  to  facilitate  informed  choice  in  the 
 competitive  communications  marketplace.  To  ensure  that  U.  S.  consumers  benefit  from  pro-  competitive  policies  worldwide,  the  Commission  shall  promote  pro-  competitive  policies  in  discussions  with  regulators 
 from  other  countries,  when  participating  on  U.  S.  government  delegations,  and  when  supporting  other  U.  S.  agencies  as  they  negotiate  international  agreements  that  affect  telecommunications.  The  Commission,  in 
 conformance  with  existing  laws  and  policies,  shall  identify  and  eliminate  market  entry  barriers  for  small  entities. 


 Objective  2:  The  Commission  shall  promote  and  advance  universal  service  domestically,  universal  access  internationally,  and  access  to  people  with  disabilities  worldwide. 
 The  Commission  shall  promote  universal  access  to  communications  services  by  promoting  competition  and  encouraging  the  deployment  of  efficient  communications  technologies.  The  Commission  shall  ensure 
 that  consumers  in  all  regions  of  the  Nation,  including  rural,  insular,  and  high  cost  areas,  have  access  to  telecommunications  and  information  services  at  rates  reasonably  comparable  to  rates  for  similar 
 services  in  urban  areas.  The  Commission  shall  work  to  ensure  efficient  and  effective  management  of  the  Universal  Service  Fund  to  provide  high-  cost,  low-  income,  schools,  libraries,  and  rural  health  care  with 
 support  and  to  prevent  waste,  fraud,  and  abuse.  The  Commission  shall  ensure  that  disbursements  from  the  fund  are  used  by  recipients  for  appropriate  purposes.  In  addition,  the  Commission  shall  work  with 
 industry,  other  U.  S.  government  agencies,  and  the  states  to  ensure  that  access  to  telecommunications  services  and  technologies  are  accessible  to  persons  with  disabilities  in  conformance  with  existing  laws 
 and  policies.  The  Commission  shall  engage  in  regulator-  to-  regulator  discussions  and  work  with  other  U.  S.  government  agencies  through  appropriate  international  fora  to  promote  universal  access  and  access 
 for  people  with  disabilities  globally. 


 Additional  Means  and  Strategies: 
 The  Commission  shall  continue  to  collect  and  evaluate  information  on  competition  in  the  domestic  and  international  communications  markets.  Commission  staff  shall  continually  review  the  Commissions 
 rules  to  determine  what  rules  need  to  be  implemented,  revised,  or  eliminated  to  achieve  competition 
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 objectives  effectively  and  efficiently.  The  Commission  shall  take  appropriate  enforcement  action  to  ensure  compliance  with  the  competitive  provisions  of  the  Act  and  the  Commissions  rules.  The 
 Commission  shall  continue  to  monitor  trends  in  consumer  complaints  and  coordinate  with  state  and  other  federal  agencies  in  an  effort  to  identify  marketplace  practices  that  negatively  affect  competition.  In 
 addition  to  coordinating  efforts  described  above,  the  Commission  shall  seek  input  from  industry,  governmental  agencies,  and  the  public  concerning  issues  relevant  to  competition.  In  coordination  with 
 other  U.  S.  government  agencies,  the  Commission  shall  work  with  regulators  from  other  countries  to  promote  pro-  competitive  policies  and  safeguard  U.  S.  consumers  from  anti-  competitive  practices. 


 Factors  Affecting  the  Achievement  of  This  Goal: 
 Technological:  New  technologies  are  challenging  existing  regulatory  structures  domestically  and  internationally,  while  enabling  consumers  to  have  access  to  more  services  than  ever  before.  For  example, 
 traditional  providers  of  one  type  of  service  are  increasingly  entering  new  markets  by  offering  voice,  video,  and  broadband  data  services  that  have  the  potential  to  compete  with  incumbent  providers  of  such 
 services.  Mobility  and  personalization  are  major  trends  in  communications  technology  today.  Both  are  dependent  on  wireless  growth  and  innovation,  as  well  as  ease  of  interconnection  with  traditional 
 networks.  Moreover,  technological  advances  are  making  it  possible  to  share  spectrum  more  intensively. 
 Legal:  Changes  to  legislation  and  decisions  on  pending  court  cases  may  affect  Commission  action  in  this  area.  Legal  issues  related  to  spectrum  rights  continue  to  be  contested. 


 Organizational:  The  Commission  must  conduct  effective  policy  analysis  and  innovative  rulemakings,  adopt  sound  economic  decision-  making  based  on  access  to  current  and  relevant  data  in  developing 
 competition  policies  and  rules,  and  take  enforcement  action  where  necessary.  The  Commission  must  consult  with  industry  and  maintain  ongoing  relationships  with  regulators  across  the  country  and 
 throughout  the  world.  The  Commission  must  provide  expert  guidance  to  other  U.  S.  government  agencies  regarding  communications  policy.  In  order  to  fulfill  its  competition  goals,  the  Commission  must  continue 
 to  recruit  or  appropriately  redeploy,  and  retain  talented  attorneys,  engineers,  and  economists,  and  it  must  implement  a  robust  training  program  to  maintain  proficiency  among  its  professional  staff. 
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 Goal:  Spectrum 
 Vision:  The  Commission  must  facilitate  efficient  and  effective  use  of  non-  federal  spectrum  domestically  and  internationally  to  promote  the  growth  and  rapid  deployment  of  innovative  and  efficient 
 communications  technologies  and  services. 


 Objective  1:  The  Commission  shall  develop,  advocate,  and  implement  flexible,  market-  oriented  spectrum  allocation  and  assignment  policies. 
 The  Commissions  allocation  and  assignment  of  spectrum  must  continue  to  evolve  towards  more  flexible,  market-  oriented  approaches  to  increase  the  opportunity  for  technologically  innovative  and  efficient 
 spectrum  use  and  to  ensure  adequate  spectrum  is  available  for  commercial,  public  safety,  and  other  purposes.  The  Commission  shall  conduct  rulemaking  proceedings  to  enable  new  communications 
 services  and  more  flexible  operations  within  existing  services,  where  possible,  and  to  ensure  that  public  safety  users  have  adequate  spectrum.  The  Commission  shall  also  evaluate  and  refine,  where  necessary,  its 
 spectrum  assignment  policies  and  procedures,  including  but  not  limited  to  its  auction  processes.  The  Commission  shall  work  with  other  regulators  around  the  world  to  promote  the  importance  and  benefits  of 
 implementing  market-  oriented  spectrum  reforms.  The  Commission  shall  also  work  with  the  National  Telecommunications  and  Information  Administration  (NTIA)  and  the  Department  of  State  to  develop 
 proposals  for  reforming  the  processes  and  policies  of  the  International  Telecommunication  Union  (ITU)  so  that  international  spectrum  allocations  can  be  updated  on  a  more  timely  and  flexible  basis. 


 Objective  2:  The  Commission  shall  develop  policies  that  promote  efficient  and  effective  use  of  spectrum. 
 The  Commission,  through  its  rulemaking  proceedings,  shall  take  steps  to  improve  the  efficiency  and  effectiveness  of  spectrum  use.  These  steps  may  include,  for  example,  (1)  accommodating  shared  use  of 
 spectrum  by  compatible  users;  (2)  exploring  new  and  innovative  licensing  models  that  reduce  entry  barriers;  (3)  fostering  interoperability  for  public  safety  communications;  (4)  minimizing  harmful 
 interference;  and  (5)  encouraging  the  development  of  new  technologies,  such  as  software  defined  radio,  cognitive  radio,  dynamic  frequency  selection,  and  new  protocols  (e.  g.,  Internet  Protocol  based).  The 
 Commission  shall  work  with  regulators  outside  the  U.  S.  to  determine  steps  that  may  be  needed,  either  on  a  global,  regional,  or  bi-  lateral  basis  to  encourage  more  efficient  spectrum  use. 


 Objective  3:  The  Commission  shall  conduct  effective  and  timely  licensing  activities,  relying  on  advanced  electronic  filing  and  electronic  information  access  systems. 
 The  Commission  shall  encourage  and,  when  appropriate,  require  electronic  filing  of  license  and  other  applications  involving  spectrum.  The  Commission  shall  also  update  and  improve  its  electronic  filing  and 
 electronic  information  access  systems,  as  necessary,  to  streamline  and  harmonize  its  licensing  and  coordination  processes.  Applications  that  are  filed  electronically  can  be  processed  more  quickly,  relying 
 more  on  computer  automation  and  to  a  lesser  extent  on  staff  resources,  which  often  are  challenged  with  multiple  competing  priorities.  Such  disposition  of  license  applications  allows  communications  service 
 providers  to  gain  access  to  spectrum  expeditiously  so  that  they  are  able  to  deploy  service  to  American  consumers  more  rapidly.  The  Commission  shall  ensure  that  its  website  continues  to  provide  the  public 
 with  the  best  and  most  up-  to-  date  information  on  existing  licenses,  pending  applications,  and  licensing 
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 procedures.  In  addition,  the  Commission  shall  work  with  NTIA,  the  ITU,  Canada,  and  Mexico  to  explore  ways  to  improve  the  sharing  of  electronic  information  and  the  coordination  and  approval  of  pending 
 applications. 


 Objective  4:  The  Commission  shall  develop  and  implement  policies  that  delineate  the  rights  and  responsibilities  of  both  licensed  and  unlicensed  spectrum  users,  particularly  with  respect  to  harmful 
 interference. 
 The  Commission  shall,  where  possible,  provide  for  increased  sharing  of  spectrum  between  services  with  similar  technical  requirements,  while  ensuring  that  highly  sensitive  services  (e.  g.,  public  safety)  are 
 protected  from  harmful  interference.  The  Commission  shall  work,  through  its  rulemaking  and  other  proceedings,  to  delineate  the  rights  and  responsibilities  of  spectrum  users  so  that:  1)  the  potential  for 
 harmful  interference  can  be  minimized,  especially  for  public  safety  communications;  and  2)  opportunities  for  new  spectrum  uses,  including  both  licensed  and  unlicensed  systems  and  facilities,  can  be  exploited. 
 The  Commission  shall  work  closely  with  NTIA,  as  well  as  regulators  in  Mexico,  Canada,  and  other  countries,  to  identify  and  resolve  instances  of  harmful  interference  on  an  international  basis  and  to  avoid 
 harmful  interference  in  the  future. 


 Objective  5:  The  Commission  shall  vigorously  enforce  its  spectrum  regulations  and  policies. 
 The  Commission  shall  vigorously  enforce  its  spectrum  regulations  and  policies  to  provide  certainty  to  spectrum  users  that  they  will  not  be  subject  to  harmful  interference  by  the  use  of  devices  that  do  not 
 comply  with  the  Commissions  technical  rules.  The  Commission  shall  also  vigorously  enforce  its  licensing  requirements,  including,  for  example,  limitations  on  power  output,  antenna  and  tower  height, 
 and  build  out  requirements,  to  ensure  that  licensees  are  using  spectrum  efficiently  and  effectively.  In  addition,  the  Commission  shall  prevent  unauthorized  use  of  spectrum  through  enforcement  proceedings. 


 Objective  6:  The  Commission  shall  serve  as  a  dependable  information  source  for  Congress,  spectrum  users,  and  regulators  around  the  world  on  the  complex  issues  inherent  in  using  our 
 spectrum  resources. 
 The  Commission,  as  appropriate  and  upon  request,  shall  provide  Congress  and  the  Executive  Branch  with  timely  and  professional  advice  and  information  concerning  efficient  and  effective  spectrum  utilization. 
 The  Commission  shall  publish  public  notices  regarding  spectrum  issues,  keep  its  spectrum-  related  web  pages  current,  and  conduct  conferences  regarding  auctions  and  other  spectrum  matters,  so  that  spectrum 
 users  and  other  consumers  have  access  to  licensing  and  technical  information.  The  Commission  shall  actively  participate  in  the  work  of  the  international  bodies  that  deal  with  spectrum  issues,  providing  our 
 expertise,  knowledge,  and  recommended  approaches  to  complex  spectrum  issues. 


 Additional  Means  and  Strategies: 
 Commission  personnel  shall  gain  technical  knowledge  of  new  technologies  that  impact  spectrum  use.  In  addition  to  the  coordinating  activities  above,  the  Commission  shall  lead  discussions  with  industry, 
 government  agencies,  and  the  public  concerning  spectrum  issues. 
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 Goal:  Media 
 Vision:  The  Nations  media  regulations  must  promote  competition  and  diversity  and  facilitate  the  transition  to  digital  modes  of  delivery. 


 Objective  1:  The  Commission  shall  develop  media  rules  and  policies  that  achieve  statutory  policy  objectives  in  light  of  significant  changes  to  traditional  media  services. 
 Increased  competition,  changing  ownership  patterns,  converging  markets  and  industries,  and  deployment  of  new  technologies  have  challenged  both  the  legal  and  economic  foundations  of  the  Commissions  media 
 regulation.  The  Commission  shall  examine  current  rules  and  make  changes  as  required  to  accommodate  the  policy  goals  of  competition,  diversity,  and  localism  within  the  evolving  media  landscape.  The 
 Commission  shall  review  its  closed  captioning  and  access  to  emergency  information  rules  to  determine  whether  the  existing  rules  are  adequately  serving  the  needs  of  individuals  with  disabilities,  and  as  the 
 digital  transition  is  completed,  whether  these  rules  will  continue  to  do  so. 


 Objective  2:  The  Commission  shall  encourage  the  timely  development  and  deployment  of  digital  services. 
 The  Commission  shall  provide  strong  leadership  in  the  transition  to  digital  television  and  radio,  adopting,  defending,  and  enforcing  regulations  that  expeditiously  advance  the  digital  transition.  In  collaboration 
 with  industry,  consumers,  and  regulators,  the  Commission  shall  seek  innovative  ways  to  facilitate  the  digital  transition  and  bring  new  services  to  consumers.  The  Commission  shall  support  industry  resolution 
 of  technical  issues.  The  Commission  shall  review  technical  rules  and  resolve  and  enforce  operational  issues  of  media  service  providers  in  a  timely  manner.  The  Commission  shall  actively  promote  the 
 development  of  television  and  radio  standards  in  international  fora.  The  Commission  shall  engage  in  consumer  outreach  and  public  education  efforts  to  increase  awareness  of  the  need  to  switch  to  digital 
 television  and  how  the  transition  affects  the  services  viewers  receive. 


 Objective  3:  The  Commission  shall  enforce  compliance  with  media  rules. 
 The  Commission  shall  enforce  compliance  with  rules  that  apply  to  media  services.  The  Commission  shall  investigate  alleged  violations  and  take  enforcement  action,  where  appropriate. 


 Factors  Affecting  the  Achievement  of  This  Goal: 
 Technological:  Advances  in  technology  create  the  potential  for  significant  increases  in  media  outlets  available  to  the  public.  Integration  of  technology  platforms  makes  the  transition  to  digital  television  and 
 radio  technologically  challenging  and  requires  coordination  among  various  industries. 
 Economic:  Ongoing  changes  in  the  methods  of  delivering  news  and  entertainment  programming  may  introduce  economic  uncertainty  and  thus,  risk,  into  communications  markets.  Economic  factors  may  spur 
 consolidation  within  the  media  industries  that  could  potentially  affect  competition  and  diversity.  In  addition,  the  transition  to  digital  delivery  modes  has  required  significant  up-  front  financial  investment 
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 from  content  providers,  service  outlets,  and  equipment  suppliers  prior  to  full  roll-  out  of  the  technology  and  eventual  recouping  of  investment. 
 Legal:  Court  decisions  have  affected  the  FCCs  media  ownership  rules.  Congress  has  mandated  continued  review  of  these  rules,  which  may  result  in  further  court  challenges.  Similarly,  Congress  has 
 mandated  a  transition  to  DTV  that  will  require  coordination  with  all  aspects  of  the  distribution  system.  Court  challenges  of  FCC  rules  and  policies  to  advance  the  DTV  transition  may  also  result.  To 
 accommodate  the  Commissions  goals,  existing  bilateral  agreements  and  treaties  will  need  to  be  modified  and  new  agreements  will  need  to  be  negotiated  with  Canada  and  Mexico. 


 Organizational:  Commission  personnel  must  have  access  to  current  data  on  industry  and  forecasts  of  future  economic  trends  in  order  to  conduct  rigorous  and  effective  policy  analysis.  The  digital  transition 
 requires  continuing  education  of  FCC  technical  staff  to  maintain  an  up-  to-  date  understanding  of  developments  in  communications  technology.  Moreover,  to  the  extent  the  number  of  consumer 
 complaints  against  broadcast  stations  continues  to  grow,  the  FCC  must  have  sufficient  personnel  (e.  g.,  attorneys)  and  technological  resources  to  efficiently  process  such  complaints  in  a  timely  manner.  The 
 FCC  will  also  need  to  maintain  sufficient  technical  personnel  (e.  g.,  engineers)  to  enforce  compliance  with  technical  and  operational  rules  in  a  timely  manner. 
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 Goal:  Public  Safety  and  Homeland  Security 
 Vision:  Communications  during  emergencies  and  crises  must  be  available  for  public  safety,  health,  defense,  and  emergency  personnel,  as  well  as  all  consumers  in  need.  The  Nations  critical 
 communications  infrastructure  must  be  reliable,  interoperable,  redundant,  and  rapidly  restorable. 


 Objective  1:  The  Commission  shall  develop  policies  that  promote  access  to  effective  communications  services  in  emergency  situations  by  public  safety,  health,  defense,  and  other 
 emergency  personnel,  as  well  as  all  consumers  in  need. 
 The  Commission  shall  ensure  that  every  segment  of  the  U.  S.  communications  industry,  --  digital  and  analog,  wired  and  wireless,  terrestrial  and  satellite,  IP  and  non-  IP  --  regardless  of  networks  and 
 technologies,  does  all  it  can  to  enhance  public  safety  and  homeland  security.  The  Commission  shall  facilitate  the  deployment  of  911services  and  technologies  to  all  appropriate  communications  networks  and 
 technologies.  The  Commission  shall  also  take  steps  to  ensure  that  all  segments  of  the  communications  industry  have  the  capability  to  provide  effective  and  technologically  up-  to-  date  public  alerts  and  warnings 
 to  the  American  public,  including  those  provided  through  the  Emergency  Alert  System  (EAS).  Through  these  efforts,  the  Commission  shall  ensure  that  all  consumers,  including  consumers  with  disabilities,  have 
 access  to  emergency  communications. 
 The  Commission  shall  take  actions  necessary  to  eliminate  interference  to  public  safety  radio  transmissions  that  endangers  public  safety,  health,  defense,  and  emergency  personnel  and  the  public.  The 
 Commission  shall  also  review  with  its  industry  and  government  partners  ways  to  ensure  that  there  is  sufficient  spectrum  available  for  public  safety  communications,  and  shall  consider  whether  commercial 
 services  and  technologies  may  be  used  to  more  effectively  address  public  safety  communications  needs.  The  Commission  shall  promote  and  facilitate  participation  in  priority  service  programs,  such  as 
 Telecommunications  Service  Priority  (TSP)  and  Wireless  Priority  Service  (WPS),  which  provide  national  security  and  emergency  preparedness  users  priority  telecommunications  services  that  are  vital  to 
 coordinating  and  responding  to  crises.  The  Commission  shall  promote  and  facilitate  participation  in  the  EAS  by  the  full  range  of  communications  providers.  In  addition,  the  Commission  shall  effectively 
 enforce  its  interference,  public  safety,  and  EAS  rules. 


 Objective  2:  The  Commission  shall  evaluate  and  strengthen  measures  for  protecting  the  Nations  critical  communications  infrastructure. 
 The  Commission  shall  provide  strong  leadership  to  industry  and  other  governmental  agencies  in  the  protection  of  the  Nations  critical  communications  infrastructure.  The  Commission  must  explore  all 
 available  ways  to  work  collaboratively  with  industry  to  increase  network  diversity  and  redundancy  and  maximize  the  availability,  interoperability,  and  reliability  of  all  communications.  The  Commission  shall 
 work  with  industry  and  government  both  at  home  and  abroad  to  establish  Best  Practices  that  should  be  adopted  by  communications  providers. 


 Objective  3:  The  Commissions  policies  shall  facilitate  rapid  restoration  of  the  U.  S.  communications  infrastructure  and  facilities  after  disruption  by  any  cause. 
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 Protection  of  the  Nations  critical  communications  infrastructure  requires  that  the  Commission  adopt  policies  to  ensure  rapid  restoration  of  communications  after  disruptions  due  to  any  cause.  The 
 Commission  shall  work  collaboratively  with  industry,  other  governmental  agencies,  and  foreign  counterparts  to  coordinate  and  engage  in  outreach  to  develop  standards  for  Emergency 
 Telecommunications  Services  (ETS);  to  increase  awareness  of  the  TSP  and  WPS  programs;  to  stimulate  participation  in  the  TSP  and  WPS  programs  by  911  Centers,  first  responders,  and  federal,  state,  tribal,  and 
 local  governmental  agencies;  to  propose  ways  of  making  TSP  and  WPS  participation  more  affordable;  to  identify  obstacles  to  TSP  and  WPS  participation;  and  to  recommend  changes  to  overcome  such  obstacles. 
 The  Commission  shall  also  work  collaboratively  with  the  satellite  industry  and  other  governmental  agencies  to  identify  and  ensure  the  availability  of  facilities  for  restoration  of  satellite  and  other  services. 
 In  addition,  the  Commission  shall  explore  all  available  ways  to  ensure  that  all  emerging  technologies,  networks,  and  services  are  reliable,  interoperable,  redundant,  and  rapidly  restorable. 


 Objective  4:  The  Commission  shall  coordinate  with  industry  and  other  federal,  state,  tribal,  and  local  agencies  on  matters  of  public  safety,  homeland  security,  and  disaster  management. 
 Over  90  percent  of  the  Nations  communications  infrastructure  is  privately  owned.  Cooperation  and  coordination  among  industry,  public  safety  organizations,  and  federal,  tribal,  state,  and  local  governments 
 is  therefore  essential  to  the  successful  nationwide  implementation  of  critical  infrastructure  protection,  public  safety  communications  interoperability,  and  effective  public  alert  and  warning  systems. 
 Accordingly,  the  Commission  shall  coordinate  with  private  industry  to  develop  policies  that  will  further  the  vision,  goals,  and  objectives  of  public  safety,  homeland  security,  and  disaster  management. 


 In  order  to  support  national  security,  emergency  preparedness,  infrastructure  protection,  and  interoperability  in  public  safety  communications  in  the  Communications  sector,  the  Commission  shall 
 work  collaboratively  and  coordinate  on  outreach  with  other  federal  agencies,  such  as  the  Department  of  Homeland  Security,  NTIA,  the  Office  of  Science  and  Technology  Policy,  and  with  state,  tribal,  local  and 
 foreign  governments  to  implement  proper  and  effective  spectrum  management,  develop  rules  and  policies  aimed  at  promoting  and  improving  nationwide  interoperability  for  public  safety  communications,  and  to 
 continue  to  develop  a  technologically  up-  to-  date  EAS.  Coordination  shall  include  outreach  and  participating  in  intergovernmental  and  industry  committees,  task  forces,  and  bilateral  and  international 
 venues.  The  Commission  should  work  with  these  groups  as  partners  and  strive  to  communicate  with  affected  industry  and  governmental  groups  in  advance  of  proposed  public  safety,  homeland  security,  and 
 disaster  management  policy  initiatives  to  solicit  input  at  the  early  stages  of  the  decision  making  process.  The  Commissions  shall  continue  to  coordinate  with  the  Executive  Branch  on  transactions  that  involve 
 foreign  investment  in  the  U.  S.  licensees. 


 Objective  5:  The  Commission  must  act  swiftly  in  matters  affecting  public  safety,  homeland  security,  and  disaster  management. 
 The  Commission  shall  always  strive  to  be  responsive  to  all  issues,  disputes,  appeals,  and  other  matters  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  Commission.  In  matters  regarding  public  safety,  homeland  security,  and 
 disaster  management,  the  Commission  shall  strive  to  act  swiftly  and  responsively.  The  Commission  shall  act  expeditiously  to  respond  to  the  public  safety  and  homeland  security  issues  raised  by  first  responders, 
 governments,  communications  providers,  and  consumers.  In  the  event  of  crises  or  disasters,  the  Commission  shall  closely  coordinate  with  industry  and  other  governmental  agencies  to  ensure  that 
 communications  for  governmental  agencies,  first  responders,  industry,  consumers,  and  the  disabled  community  are  maintained  at  the  appropriate  level  and  that  restoration  efforts  commence  immediately. 
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 Organizational:  The  Commission  must  continually  update  its  knowledge  to  fully  understand  national  and  international  implications  of  the  threats  to  communications  technologies  that  arise  under  public  safety, 
 homeland  security,  and  disaster  management  scenarios.  This  requires  substantial  human  expertise  and  resources.  Accordingly,  the  Commission  must  maintain  an  experienced,  educated,  and  knowledgeable 
 technical  and  legal  staff  that  is  able  to  stay  abreast  of  technological  and  policy  developments  and  trends.  The  Commission  must  maintain  ongoing,  highly  integrated  relationships  with  the  communications 
 industries;  other  federal  regulators;  and  state,  tribal,  and  local  regulators  who  are  heavily  involved  in  the  use  of  spectrum  as  it  relates  to  public  safety.  With  respect  to  satellite  services,  the  FCC  must  continually 
 update  its  knowledge  and  maintain  ongoing  relationships  with  the  satellite  industry  and  other  government  agencies  concerning  specialized  technical  issues  that  might  impact  the  availability  or  reliability  of  space-based 
 services. 
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 Commission  has  access  to  the  human  resources  necessary  to  properly  plan,  implement,  and  evaluate  the  use  of  these  technologies  is  a  complementary  factor  affecting  the  achievement  of  the  Commissions 
 organizational  excellence  goal. 
 Economic:  The  Commission  has  many  opportunities  to  improve  stakeholder  and  employee  satisfaction  and  effective  mission  accomplishment  through  the  introduction  of  new  or  the  integration  of  existing 
 systems  and  processes. 
 Legal:  As  communications  technologies  rapidly  develop  and  are  introduced  into  the  marketplace,  changes  to  legislation  may  affect  satisfaction  of  this  goal. 


 Organizational:  Carrying  out  the  mission  of  the  FCC  requires  highly  trained,  expert  staff  capable  of  assessing  and  understanding  technological  and  industry  trends  and  enforcing  technical  requirements  with 
 up-  to-  date  technological  tools.  Recruiting,  hiring,  redeploying,  training,  motivating,  and  retaining  such  a  staff  is  a  challenge  that  the  Commission  is  working  hard  to  meet.  By  continuing  to  develop  and  enhance 
 an  organizational  culture  that  embraces  communication,  accountability,  and  learning,  the  Commission  shall  be  able  to  plan  and  carry  out  effective  change  management  programs  that  will  lead  to  full 
 achievement  of  its  goal  of  modernizing  the  FCC. 
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