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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND FBI REACH CALEA

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The FBI, Bell Atlantic Network Services and Lucent Technologies have entered into a set of agreements, the second of its kind, to assist law enforcement in executing lawfully-authorized electronic surveillance, the Justice Department announced today.

The agreements have been set up as part of industry-wide implementation of the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act ("CALEA"). Under the terms of the innovative, companion-type agreements announced today, the government will reimburse the facilitating carrier, Bell Atlantic, for obtaining Lucent's commitment to make available to all telecommunications carriers nationwide, right-to-use licenses to CALEA software for Lucent's wireline and wireless switching platforms.

Lucent, which is the nation's largest manufacturer of telecommunications switches, will be making its CALEA Software for 5ESS(r) switches available to carriers through a number of software releases.

Congress passed CALEA in October 1994, to protect public safety and national security. Its purpose was to clarify and further define the telecommunications industry's existing statutory obligation to assist law enforcement in executing lawfully-authorized electronic surveillance. The law directs the telecommunications industry to pro-actively develop solutions to address law enforcement's public safety needs as a basic element in providing services to the general public. To facilitate compliance, CALEA authorized $500 million to be appropriated for the purpose of reimbursing the telecommunications industry for certain costs associated with modifying equipment installed or deployed prior to January 1, 1995, as necessary to achieve the objectives of CALEA.

"Continuing technological changes in the nation's telecommunications systems present increasing challenges to law enforcement," Attorney General Janet Reno said. "This latest agreement exemplifies the type of cooperative, productive efforts needed to ensure that we will be able to maintain our capability to conduct court-authorized electronic surveillance."

The FBI reached a similar reimbursement-type agreement with Ameritech and Nortel Networks in September, 1999, and is finalizing similar reimbursement agreements with other carriers and manufacturers.

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