SB QST @ ARL $ARLB023   
   ARLB023 FCC Investigating Amateur Radio, Commercial Application Processing   
   Glitch   
      
   ZCZC AG23   
   QST de W1AW   
   ARRL Bulletin 23  ARLB023   
   > From ARRL Headquarters   
   Newington CT  July 7, 2016   
   To all radio amateurs   
      
   SB QST ARL ARLB023   
   ARLB023 FCC Investigating Amateur Radio, Commercial Application Processing   
   Glitch   
      
   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."   
      
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