[GCARC] [ve-list:1695] ARRL VE Newsletter July 2016

[W2RM at ARRL.NET]

ARRL VEC Exam and Application Files not being processed by FCC

 

FCC Investigating Amateur Radio, Commercial Application Processing Glitch

07/07/2016

 

The FCC information technology staff is continuing to look into why the
Universal Licensing System (ULS) Electronic Batch Filing (EBF) system has
stopped processing at least some - and perhaps all - Amateur Radio exam
session files and applications. The stoppage, which began on June 28,
initially affected the handling of all Amateur Radio Volunteer Examiner
Coordinator (VEC)  and commercial license applications, said ARRL VEC
Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, who alerted the FCC IT Department. Somma said
that by June 30, it appeared that the FCC had corrected the broader problem,
and processing of most Amateur Radio VEC and commercial applications and
exam session files had resumed.

 

"The fix for the ARRL VEC remains elusive, however," said Somma. "I assumed
the issue would be cleared up quickly as the FCC has done in the past." She
added, that the FCC has been unwilling to reveal the extent of the problem,
which she believes still could be affecting applications from outside the
ARRL VEC.

 

According to Somma, resolving the problem has been escalated to Priority 1
at the FCC, and resources have been reprioritized to address the issue.

 

"I have been in contact with the FCC every day inquiring about their
progress and will continue to do so until the problem is resolved," Somma
said. "I have also asked them to provide us with an alternate filing option
as soon as possible."

 

Somma said that as of July 6, the ARRL VEC had more than 900 applications
and nearly 275 exam sessions in the queue and awaiting FCC processing.

 

"As soon as the FCC staff discovers and corrects the EBF system problem, we
will immediately file the backlog, which would take only a day or so to
release," Somma estimated.

 

She said a lot of candidates and volunteer examiners have begun asking why
new call signs or license upgrades have not yet been issued, and she is
sympathetic with their concerns. "We usually transmit the exam sessions to
FCC as soon as possible, which is 24 to 48 hours from the day they are
received in our office," she said. "Therefore, questions from the field
about the delay are understandable."

 

This new story can be found on the ARRL Website at
http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-investigating-amateur-radio-commercial-applicat
ion-processing-glitch.

 

 

We thank you and your candidates for being patient while we work through
this issue with FCC.

 

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