Overview
FCC Intelligence is built on publicly available data from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). We believe in full transparency about our data sources, processing methods, and the limitations of our analytics.
Our platform transforms raw public records into structured, searchable, and actionable intelligence for professionals in the telecommunications and radio licensing industry.
Primary Source: FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS)
Our primary data source is the FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS), operated by the Federal Communications Commission. The ULS is the official database for wireless license information in the United States.
Key facts about the ULS:
- Authority: Maintained by the FCC under 47 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations)
- Coverage: Covers all FCC wireless radio service licenses, including Part 90 (Private Land Mobile Radio), Part 22, Part 24, Part 27, and other radio service types
- Public access: Data is made publicly available under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and FCC public access policies
- Format: Available via bulk downloads (weekly and daily transaction files) and individual record lookups
- URL: wireless.fcc.gov/uls
What Data We Collect from the ULS
From the FCC ULS database, we ingest and process the following types of public records:
- License records (HD): License call signs, status, grant dates, expiration dates, effective dates, and license class
- Entity records (EN): Licensee names, business addresses, FCC Registration Numbers (FRN), and entity types
- Frequency records (FR): Authorized frequencies, emission designators, and power levels
- Location records (LO): Transmitter locations, coordinates, and ground elevation data
- History records (HS): Application history, amendments, renewals, and modifications
- Control point records (CP): Control point locations for remote-controlled stations
We focus primarily on Part 90 (Private Land Mobile Radio Service) licenses, which represent the core of our platform's coverage, but our database includes records across multiple radio service types.
How We Process Data
Raw FCC data undergoes several stages of processing in our pipeline:
1. Ingestion
We download weekly full database exports and daily transaction files from the FCC ULS. These are parsed, validated, and loaded into our database.
2. Normalization
Raw records are normalized for consistency — standardizing address formats, cleaning entity names, resolving state/county codes, and harmonizing date formats.
3. Entity Resolution
We apply entity resolution algorithms to link related records. Many licensees operate under different names, DBA names, or subsidiary structures. Our system identifies and groups these related entities (see Entity Resolution section below).
4. Enrichment
We enrich records with computed fields such as:
- Renewal window calculations (based on FCC 90-day filing windows)
- License portfolio sizes and geographic footprints
- Entity categorization (licensing firm, end-user, etc.)
- Market concentration metrics
- Historical trend analysis
5. Indexing
Processed data is indexed for fast search across entities, licenses, geographies, frequencies, and other dimensions.
Update Frequency
| Data Type | Source Update | Our Processing | Typical Latency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full database | Weekly (Sunday) | Weekly | 1–2 days |
| Daily transactions | Daily (weekdays) | Daily | 4–12 hours |
| Entity resolution | N/A (our process) | Weekly | After full sync |
| Derived analytics | N/A (our process) | Continuous | Near real-time |
While we strive for timely updates, there may be occasional delays due to FCC system maintenance, holidays, or processing issues. Our data timestamps always reflect the source data date so you know the freshness of the information.
Data Accuracy
We are committed to data accuracy, but several factors affect the precision of our information:
- Source accuracy: Our data is only as accurate as the FCC ULS records. Licensees are responsible for maintaining accurate information with the FCC, and some records may be outdated or contain errors.
- Processing accuracy: Our normalization and entity resolution processes are algorithmic and may occasionally produce incorrect groupings or miss connections.
- Timeliness: There is inherent latency between when an event occurs (e.g., a license is granted) and when it appears in our system.
- Coverage: While we aim for comprehensive coverage, some license types or edge cases may not be fully represented.
If you identify inaccuracies in our data, please report them to data@fccintel.com. We investigate all reported issues and correct them promptly.
Entity Resolution
One of our key value-adds is entity resolution — identifying when different records in the FCC database refer to the same real-world organization. This is necessary because:
- Companies may hold licenses under different legal names or DBAs
- Subsidiaries and parent companies may have separate FCC registrations
- Address formatting inconsistencies make simple matching unreliable
- Mergers, acquisitions, and name changes create historical complexity
Our entity resolution system uses a combination of FRN matching, name similarity analysis, address normalization, and historical relationship tracking to group related records. The resulting entity profiles provide a consolidated view of an organization's license portfolio.
Derived Intelligence
Beyond raw data, our platform generates derived intelligence that is our proprietary analysis:
- Renewal intelligence: Calculated renewal windows, expiration urgency scoring, and renewal probability indicators based on historical patterns.
- Market analysis: Geographic concentration metrics, competitive landscape mapping, and sector-level trends.
- Entity scoring: Portfolio size rankings, geographic footprint analysis, and renewal behavior patterns.
- Trend analysis: Historical trends in licensing activity, renewals, cancellations, and new grants.
This derived intelligence represents our analytical interpretation of public data and should be used as one input among many in your business decisions.
Limitations
Users should be aware of the following limitations of our data and analytics:
- Our data does not include non-public FCC filings or confidential submissions.
- License status may change between our data updates. Always verify critical information directly with the FCC for time-sensitive decisions.
- Our platform covers FCC wireless licenses and may not include data from other regulatory bodies (e.g., state-level licenses, international regulators).
- Contact information in FCC records may be outdated as licensees do not always update their records promptly.
- Our analytics are models, not guarantees. Renewal predictions and scores are based on historical patterns and should not be treated as certainties.
FCC Disclaimer
The name "FCC Intelligence" refers to intelligence about FCC data, not intelligence from the FCC. All FCC data used in our platform is publicly available information obtained through the FCC's public access channels.
For official FCC information, licensing, and filings, please visit the FCC directly:
- FCC website: fcc.gov
- ULS license search: wireless.fcc.gov/uls
- FCC Registration: CORES Registration
Verification
We encourage users to verify critical information through official FCC channels, especially for:
- License status verification before filing renewals or modifications
- Entity ownership confirmation for business transactions
- Frequency coordination requiring precise allocation data
- Regulatory compliance decisions
Our platform is designed to complement, not replace, direct FCC record verification.
Contact Us
For questions about our data sources, processing methodology, or to report data accuracy issues:
- Data issues: data@fccintel.com
- General: info@fccintel.com