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National Communications System Statement Regarding FCC Grant of PAS Waiver

Arlington, VA, March 14, 2002. - The following should be attributed to Brenton C. Greene, Deputy Manager of the National Communications System (NCS), in relation to the Federal Communications Commission’s grant of a waiver in order to allow VoiceStream to provide a wireless priority service (WPS) voluntarily to Federal, state and local governments on an expedited schedule.

“The National Communications System welcomes the Federal Communications Commission’s grant of a waiver to VoiceStream in support of the company’s wireless priority service initiative. The WPS program of the NCS is aimed at enabling the most effective response and support to all our citizens affected by national crisis. By granting this waiver, the FCC has taken a major step in establishing nationwide wireless priority service that will meet national security and emergency preparedness communications needs for key government decision makers, emergency responders, and private sector critical infrastructure managers.

“The NCS will continue to work with VoiceStream to establish an immediate wireless priority service. At the same time, NCS will also continue its work with the Nation’s wireless communications industry to pursue a nationwide solution to wireless NS/EP communications by the end of 2002 that will enable us to balance national security and emergency preparedness needs while minimizing impact on consumer access to the same wireless infrastructures.”

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