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 Previous: FCC Amends Part 15 Rules at 2.4 GHz |  Next: The K7VVV Solar Update |
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 1, 2000--When the FCC moves its Taxpayer Information Number/Social Security Number registration system for amateurs from the Universal Licensing System to the new FCC Commission Registration System, the changeover will be largely transparent to users, an FCC official said this week.
Steve Linn of the Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau says once the changeover is in effect, the CORES/FRN system will be linked from the ULS home page. In addition, those already registered in the ULS will--in most cases--still be able to use their ULS password to access CORES.
Amateurs will not have to start signing up in CORES until sometime next year, however, and those already registered in ULS won't have to do a thing. For now, Linn says hams should stick simply with ULS "TIN/Call Sign" registration until CORES registration becomes mandatory.
"Don't even worry about CORES," Linn said. "If you have a letter from CORES, hang onto it for your FCC Registration Number." The FCC recently sent letters to every licensee who was registered in the ULS as of June 22, 2000. The letter contains the individual's new FCC Registration Number--or FRN--and a few words about CORES.
Described as an agency-wide registration system for anyone filing applications with or making payments to the FCC, CORES assigns registrants a unique 10-digit FCC Registration Number. The FCC says it will modify its licensing and filing systems--including ULS--over the next several months to accept and use the FRN.
Once the system is fully deployed, all Commission systems that handle financial, authorization of service, and enforcement activities will use the FRN. The FCC says use of the FRN will allow it to more rapidly verify fee payment.
Until CORES assumes the registration function, Linn encouraged hams to register in ULS, which will continue to house the FCC's Amateur Service database even after CORES registration is implemented. Just when in 2001 that will happen Linn was not able to say. "There are a lot of factors involved," he said.
The ULS-- "the licensing system you love to hate," as one FCC official has called it--has continued to generate controversy and questions since it was implemented for the Amateur Service just over a year ago. One issue that became apparent when the FCC mailed out its CORES letters to amateurs was that there really are two ULS databases--one for "TIN/Call Sign" registration and the other for licensee information. Because the ULS handles licensees outside the Amateur Service, the two ULS databases are designed not to update each other. This means that changes made on the registration side are not reflected in the licensee side.
Some hams receiving the FCC letters wondered why the FCC sent the letter to their old addresses, even though they'd updated their licensee information in the ULS database when they moved. As it turns out, CORES drew its list of mailing addresses from the ULS registration database, not from the licensee database. The FCC has suspended mailing out CORES/FRN letters for now.
Amateurs who have moved or who have perhaps acquired a new name should update their ULS licensee information via the ULS home page (go to "Online Filing" and perform an "administrative update"). Amateurs with new addresses, names or call signs also should update their ULS registration information (go to TIN/Call Sign Registration and click on "update registration information" or "update call sign information," as appropriate).
A similar situation exists currently between the ULS and CORES. Individuals who register in CORES are not automatically registered in the ULS database (an individual does not have to be licensed to register in CORES). ULS TIN/Call Sign registration is eventually reflected in the CORES database, however, Linn confirmed.
The CORES on-line filing system and further information on CORES is available by visiting the FCC Web site, and clicking on the CORES registration link.
| Previous: FCC Amends Part 15 Rules at 2.4 GHz | Next: The K7VVV Solar Update |
