NEWS
	Federal Communications Commission 1919 - M Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20554	News media information 202 / 418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov
	This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
	April 16, 1998
	FCC ANNOUNCES INITIATIVES ON YEAR 2000 COMPUTER DATE ISSUE; COMMISSIONER POWELL TO REPRESENT FCC ON PRESIDENT'S "COUNCIL ON YEAR 2000 CONVERSION"
	The FCC today announced a series of initiatives to raise awareness within the various communications industries of the Year 2000 computer date change problem. Commissioner Michael Powell, in connection with his role as FCC Defense Commissioner, will represent the FCC on the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion which was established by President Clinton on February 4, 1998. The FCC today will launch a special Internet site on the World Wide Web to provide information for consumers and industry on the Year 2000 date change problem: http://www.fcc.gov/year2000/ An FCC task force formed March 20, 1998, and under the direction of Michael Nelson, is coordinating efforts by each FCC Bureau to provide information for consumers and industry on the Year 2000 date change problem. The FCC is coordinating an outreach effort and working closely with state Public Utility Commissions and Public Service Commissions. Commissioner Powell said, "Our goal is to improve awareness and to encourage U.S. communications companies and users of telecommunications services to meet the Year 2000 challenge." Currently, many computer systems will not be able to cope with dates in the next century. The Year 2000 ("Y2K") problem, also known as the millennium bug, arises because so many automated and intelligent systems use two digits, not four, to indicate the year. At the turn of the century when the date changes from 1999 to 2000, there are concerns that these systems will fail to recognize the millennial change, thereby erroneously assuming "00" to be "1900," not "2000," causing many systems and records to fail. If not properly fixed, the Year 2000 problem could have serious consequences for the telecommunications industry and the entire economy. The FCC is taking an active role in efforts to promote awareness and provide information and guidance within the telecommunications industries. Through its new web site, and its outreach program of communication with industry and trade associations, the FCC is working to ensure that companies and consumers are prepared for Year 2000 and repair their systems well ahead of the deadline. The FCC is gathering information from communications industries' ongoing efforts. Its Year 2000 internal working group will coordinate FCC efforts of every bureau and office with telecommunications providers and equipment manufacturers, telephone customers, and trade organizations to ensure Y2K compliance. The FCC will update and add to the information on the Year 2000 web site as more information becomes available on how the communications industries are responding to the Year 2000 problem. - FCC - News Media contact: Audrey Spivack at (202) 418-0512, David Fiske (202) 418-0513 FCC Year 2000 Working Group contact: Mike Nelson at (202) 418-2051 FCC Year 2000 web site address: http://www.fcc.gov/year2000/