Federal Bureau of Investigation's
Implementation of the Communications Assistance
for Law Enforcement Act
00-10
March 2000

March 1998 - FBI Petitioned the Federal Communications Commission
On March 27, 1998 the FBI filed a petition, entitled Joint Petition for Expedited Rulemaking Regarding Technical Requirements and Standards, with the FCC to compel carriers to adopt the government's CALEA capability requirements. This initiated a series of telecommunication industry and government FCC filings to assist the FCC in its decision making.

September 1998 - FCC Issued Memorandum Opinion and Order
On September 11, 1998 the FCC granted an extension of the deadline (October 28, 1998) for complying with CALEA capability requirements and ruled that carriers must be compliant with the industry assistance capabilities by June 30, 2000.

December 1998 - Attorney General's Fourth Annual Report to Congress
On December 10, 1998 the Attorney General issued the fourth annual report to Congress on the implementation of CALEA.

August 1999 - FCC Issued Second Report and Order
On August 31, 1999 the FCC concluded that the language and legislative history of CALEA provide sufficient guidance as to what the term telecommunications carrier means. The FCC also issued guidance for carriers seeking relief under the CALEA reasonably achievable standard from CALEA assistance capability requirements for equipment, facilities or service deployed after January 1, 1995.

August 1999 - FCC Issued Third Report and Order
On August 31, 1999 the FCC ruled that carriers must be compliant with six additional assistance capabilities, sought by the government but not included in the industry assistance capabilities, by September 30, 2001.

September 1999 - FBI Entered into Agreement with Nortel and Ameritech
On September 10, 1999 the FBI, Ameritech and Nortel entered into an agreement through which the FBI agreed to reimburse Ameritech for its purchase of the CALEA software RTU license from Nortel for its wireline systems. This agreement further stipulated that the FBI would commit $101.8 million for the CALEA software RTU license for all carriers in the United States that used Nortel's equipment installed on or before January 1, 1995.

December 1999 - FBI Entered into Agreement with Nortel and AirTouch
On December 29, 1999 the FBI, Nortel and AirTouch entered into an agreement through which the FBI agreed to reimburse AirTouch, and all other carriers in the United States, for its purchase of the CALEA software RTU license from Nortel for its wireless system installed on or before January 1, 1995. The funds would come from the $101.8 million that was committed pursuant to the FBI's agreement with Nortel and Ameritech.