Flexible Deployment

The FBI's overall CALEA implementation approach includes supporting telecommunications carriers' deployment of CALEA-compliant solutions in accordance with their normal generic upgrade cycles, where such deployment will not delay implementation of CALEA solutions in areas of high priority to law enforcement. This approach is the result of the FBI's recognition of the issues facing carriers and represents an attempt to minimize the costs and operational impact of CALEA compliance on all carriers. Specifically, carriers wishing to participate in this effort may provide the FBI with their projected CALEA deployment schedules for all switches in their network, as well as information pertaining to any recent lawfully-authorized electronic surveillance activity. Using this information, the FBI and carrier will attempt to develop a mutually agreeable deployment schedule. This approach is also the FBI's attempt to minimize the cost to the Government of implementing CALEA by providing the opportunity for carriers and the FBI to agree on deferring the installation of CALEA-compliant solutions in those instances where public safety and national security would not be jeopardized.

If the FBI and carrier are able to agree upon a deployment schedule, the FBI may provide support to an individual carrier's petition before the FCC for extension of CALEA's assistance capability compliance dates. In order to reach such an agreement, the FBI must have an opportunity to: (1) review and comment on proposed carrier deployment schedules, and (2) review information provided by carriers pertaining to recent lawfully-authorized electronic surveillance activity. The FBI's support of a carrier's system-wide extension petition will be conditioned upon the carrier meeting the agreed-to deployment schedule. In addition, the FBI will request the FCC incorporate such a condition into any final decision on a carrier's extension petition. A carrier choosing not to provide information necessary for the FBI to support its system-wide CALEA deployment schedule may still petition the FCC for an extension of the CALEA compliance dates.

The purpose of the CALEA Flexible Deployment Assistance Guide, First Edition was to assist telecommunications carriers in meeting certain requirements of CALEA. This Guide requested telecommunications carriers to voluntarily submit certain information to the FBI, and explained under what circumstances, based on a review of that information, the FBI might have supported a carrier's request to the FCC for an extension under Section 107(c) of CALEA. The Guide also provided some general background information regarding CALEA, and discussed lawfully-authorized electronic surveillance, technical solutions developed by industry, and cost reimbursement provisions of CALEA. A First Edition schedule template is available in Microsoft Excel format to assist with collecting data that is necessary for review by the FBI.

On December 28, 1999 and again on March 14, 2000, the FBI published a notice of information collection under review for a reinstatement and an extension of time for the CALEA Flexible Deployment Assistance Guide, First Edition. The reinstatement and the extension can be found at 64 Fed. Reg. 72690 (1999) and 65 Fed. Reg. 13793 (2000), respectively.

In August 2001, the FBI published the CALEA Flexible Deployment Assistance Guide, Second Edition (Packet-Mode Communications). This guide further assisted telecommunications carriers in submitting certain packet-mode communications information to the FBI for extension consideration beyond September 30, 2001. A Second Edition schedule template is available in Microsoft Excel format to assist with collecting data that is necessary for review by the FBI.

The FBI published the CALEA Flexible Deployment Assistance Guide, Third Edition in May 2002. This third edition guide further assists telecommunications carriers in meeting assistance capability requirement deadlines. It explains under what circumstances the FBI might support a carrier's request of the FCC to extend the June 30, 2002, compliance date for the six missing capabilities required by the Order on Remand, FCC 02-108, and/or further extend the June 30, 2000, compliance deadline under Section 107(c) of CALEA. A Third Edition schedule template is available in Microsoft Excel format to assist with collecting data that is necessary for review by the FBI.

On July 31, 2003, the FBI published 68 Fed. Reg. 44969 (2003), a 60-day notice of information collection regarding the Flexible Deployment Assistance Guides. The proposed information collection was published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. Then again, on October 16, 2003, the FBI published 68 Fed. Reg. 59638 (2003), a 30-day notice of information collection reply comment period regarding Flexible Deployment Assistance Guides.

The FBI published the CALEA Flexible Deployment Assistance Guide, Fourth Edition in May 2004. This fourth edition guide further assists telecommunications carriers in meeting certain requirements of CALEA. This Guide continues the implementation efforts of the FBI with respect to further extensions of the June 30, 2002 compliance date for six additional technical capabilities affirmed by the FCC to be required by CALEA and further extensions of June 30, 2000, for certain telecommunications carriers. A Fourth Edition schedule template is available in Microsoft Excel format to assist with collecting data that is necessary for review by the FBI.

For all of the latest information regarding the status of CALEA section 107(c) extension petitions and statements, please see our FCC Regulations and our Law Enforcement Filings pages.