FCC: 'Good Progress' in Streamlining Operations Over Past Year

The FCC process reform to-do list is narrowing as it's made numerous changes over the past year in how it operates, Chairman Tom Wheeler's special counsel Diane Cornell said a blog post Monday. Those changes cover the gamut from a revamped consumer help center and accelerated processing of applications for review to every bureau having developed and implementing backlog reduction plans and expedited processing of cellular license applications. Improvements in the works include an updated electronic comment filing system to roll out this summer and ongoing improvements to FCC.gov's searchability and navigability, Cornell said. "This is good progress, but there’s much more to be done -- internal process reform initiatives will continue over the months to come," she said . "We plan to deploy new IT tracking and collaboration tool capability, more electronic filing and automated processes, and adopt many more proposals that would eliminate or streamline outdated rules." The process reform work follows a report and recommendations put out by the agency in early 2014 on improving internal operations.