Advisory Committees

The FCC has regulatory authority over many complex communications issues. To obtain expert advice on some of these issues, the FCC often calls upon advisory committees comprised of members from the public safety community, communications industry, and citizens' and consulting groups.

• CSRIC

  The Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council's (CSRIC) mission is to provide recommendations to the FCC to ensure, among other things, optimal security and reliability of communications systems, including telecommunications, media, and public safety.
  Visit web site (Current CSRIC) >>
  Visit web site (Previous CSRIC) >>

• ERIC Technical Advisory Committee

  The mission of the Emergency Response Interoperability Center (ERIC) is to establish a technical and operational framework that will ensure nationwide operability and interoperability in deployment and operation of the 700 MHz public safety broadband wireless network.
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Past committees

The committees listed below are no longer meeting, but their findings remain on their websites.

• NRIC

  The mission of the Network Reliability and Interoperability Council (NRIC) was to partner with the FCC, the communications industry and public safety groups to facilitate enhancement of emergency communications networks, homeland security, and best practices across the telecommunications industry.
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• MSRC

  The mission of the Media Security and Reliability Council (MSRC) was to study, develop and report on communications and coordination designed to assure the optimal reliability, and security of the broadcast and multichannel video programming distribution industries in emergency situations.
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• Katrina Panel

  This advisory committee reviewed the impact of Hurricane Katrina on all sectors of the telecommunications and media industries as well as public safety communications and provided recommendations to the Commission on ways to improve disaster preparedness, network reliability, and communications among first responders such as police, fire fighters, and emergency medical personnel. The Panel's submitted its report to the Commission on June 12, 2006 and the Panel's charter expired on June 15, 2006. To review the Panel's report click here (pdf).

• Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee

  This committee recommended technical requirements by which Commercial Mobile Service (CMS) providers could voluntarily transmit emergency alerts to their subscribers. The committee submitted its recommendations to the Commission on October 12, 2007. To review the committee's report, click here (pdf).

• Joint Advisory Committee on Communications Capabilities of Emergency Medical and Public Health Care Facilities

  Congress tasked this committee with assessing: (1) specific communications capabilities and needs of emergency medical and public health care facilities, including the improvement of basic voice, data, and broadband capabilities; (2) options to accommodate growth of basic and emerging communications services used by emergency medical an public health care facilities; and (3) options to improve integration of communications systems used by emergency medical and public health care facilities with existing or future emergency communications networks. The committee submitted its report to Congress on February 4, 2008. To review the committee's report, click here (pdf).