WASHINGTON-Federal Communications Commission Chairman Bill Kennard told Congress last week that public-safety wireless systems are at risk of succumbing to the Year 2000 computer bug, a problem that will cost the private sector an estimated $50 billion to fix and one the Clinton administration apparently does not have under control.
“The wireless industry appears to recognize the seriousness of the problem,” said Kennard in prepared testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee.
“We remain concerned, however, that not enough is being done to ensure that the radio systems used by the police, fire and other public-safety agencies are Year-2000 compliant,” Kennard added. “Some entities in the wireless industry have made a great deal of progress; others still have a long way to go.”
Kennard said the FCC is considering options to condition wireless licenses, renewals and auctions on Year-2000 compliance.
Kennard said the FCC has written wireless carriers, manufacturers and trade associations and is meeting with industry representatives to assess their progress. In addition, he said a Year-2000 wireless forum is being planned.
In view of the far-reaching implications of the Year-2000 computer glitch, the Senate created a special committee last week to study its potential impact on the private sector as well as on federal, state and local governments.
“It’s not just a technology problem; it’s a management problem,” said Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah), chairman of the Senate Banking subcommittee on financial services and technology and head of the special Year 2000 (Y2K) committee.
Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) will serve as co-chairman of the panel, which lacks official lawmaking powers but will make recommendations to authorizing committees.
Bennett told the Senate Commerce Committee that a draft report prepared by the General Accounting Office identifies the Department of Defense and other federal agencies as ill-equipped for the 2000 computer bug.
“It is clear that without greater urgency and aggressive management on this Year-2000 issue, both federal agencies and private businesses are at risk of being unable to provide services or to perform functions that are critical to their mission, and vital to the American public,” said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Commerce Committee.
Alan Shark, president of the American Mobile Telecommunications Association, said dispatch radio operators seem to be addressing the technical challenge. Small business, he noted, is particularly impacted.
Shark added AMTA will spend $20,000 to upgrade computer facilities at its Washington, D.C., headquarters.
Dave Buchanan, a radio analyst for San Bernardino County in California, said he is inventorying all radio systems and expects to have them all Y2K-ready by early next year.
“The biggest challenge at first was getting manufacturers to do some of this work for us,” said Buchanan. He said vendors are more sensitive to the problem today and are assisting the county.
