Revised Network Reliability and Interoperability Council - V Charter A. The Committee's Official Designation The official designation of the advisory committee will be the "Network Reliability and Interoperability Council." B. The Committee's Objective and Scope of its Activity The purpose of the Committee is to provide recommendations to the FCC and to the telecommunications industry that, when implemented, will assure optimal reliability and interoperability of public telecommunications networks. The topics that the Committee will address will be organized into three focus areas: 1. Y2K Review (a) The Committee will continue its work relating to the year 2000 date rollover (Y2K) on telecommunications networks, including a review of the effectiveness of the work done prior to the date change as well as an analysis of the impact of the date change on those networks. (b) The Committee will make recommendations on any future actions that should be taken. 2. Network Reliability. (a) The Committee will evaluate, and report on, the reliability of public telecommunications network services in the United States, including the reliability of packet switched networks. (b) During the charter of the previous Committee, interested participants developed guidelines that were intended to improve the quality of outage reporting for those carriers currently required to report outages. The Committee will evaluate those guidelines and data provided in accordance with those guidelines and, if appropriate, recommend further refinements to those guidelines. (c) During the charter of the previous Committee, interested participants recommended that the FCC adopt a voluntary reporting program, administered by the National Communications System, to gather outage data for those telecommunications and information service providers not currently required to report outages. The Committee will monitor this process, analyze the data obtained from the voluntary trial and report on the efficacy of that process, as well as the on-going reliability of such services. (d) The Committee will evaluate existing network outage reporting requirements and make recommendations for improving, or where appropriate initiating, reporting requirements for: (i) telecommunications carriers currently required to report outages; and (ii) telecommunications carriers not presently required to report service outages. (e) Building on the work of the previous Committee, as appropriate, the Committee will continue to develop best practices recommendations and refine or modify, as appropriate, best practices recommendations developed by previous Committees. (f) The Committee will continue to evaluate and report on the extent to which telecommunications common carriers are using best practices recommendations and applicable American National Standards Institute Committee T-1 standards, and identify ways to increase the use of best practices and relevant Committee T-1 standards by telecommunications service providers. (3) Network Interoperability (a) The Committee will make recommendations concerning technical standards to ensure spectral compatibility in wireline networks and facilitate the deployment of xDSL and associated technologies. (b) The Committee will make recommendations concerning the development of spectrum management processes within the wireline network that facilitate competition among CLECs and ILECs using different technologies while still maintaining network integrity. (c) The Committee will make recommendations with respect to such additional topics as the Commission may specify. These topics may include requests for recommendations and technical advice on interoperability issues that may arise from convergence and digital packet networks, and how the Commission may best fulfill its responsibilities, particularly with respect to national defense and safety of life and property (including law enforcement) under the Communications Act. The Committee will assemble data and other information, perform analyses, and provide recommendations and advice to the Federal Communications Commission and the telecommunications industry concerning the foregoing. C. Period of Time Necessary for the Committee to Carry Out its Purpose The Committee will require two years to carry out the purposes for which it has created. D. Official to Whom the Committee Reports Chairman, or Defense Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission. E. Agency Responsible for Providing Necessary Support The Federal Communications Commission will provide the necessary support for the Committee, including the facilities needed for the conduct of the meetings of the committee. Private sector members of the committee will serve without any government compensation and will not be entitled to travel expenses or per diem or subsistence allowances. F. Description of the Duties for Which the Committee is Responsible The duties of the Committee will be to gather the data and information necessary to prepare studies, reports, and recommendations for assuring optimal network reliability within the parameters set forth in Section B, above. The Committee will also monitor future developments to ensure that network interoperability, and network reliability, are not at risk. G. Estimated Annual Operating Costs in Dollars and Staff Years Estimated staff years that will be expended by the Committee are 2 for the FCC staff and 12 for private sector and other governmental representatives. The estimated annual cost to the FCC of operating the committee is $100,000. H. Estimated Number and Frequency of Committee Meetings The Committee will meet at least two times per year. Informal subcommittees may meet more frequently to facilitate the work of the Committee. I. Committee's Termination Date The Committee will terminate January 6, 2002. J. Date Original Charter Filed January 6, 1992.