Barry Fraser Biography
BARRY FRASER currently serves as Interoperability Project Manager for the City and County of San Francisco Department of Emergency Services, where he is primarily responsible for research, development, planning and deployment of a regional broadband wireless network for public safety. Barry was instrumental in the City’s successful petition for a waiver of Federal Communication Commission rules to use 700MHz. spectrum for public safety broadband. He serves as the City’s point person in the development of a regional governance structure, negotiation of a network build, own and operate agreement with a private partner BTOP grant recipient, and in selection of the technical requirements, business models, public safety applications and sustainability strategies for the Bay Area network. Barry also is tasked with identifying radio sites in San Francisco for use in the network, and overseeing the necessary approvals and make-ready work necessary to ensure that the sites are ready for radio installation when the network is deployed.Before taking his current position, Barry served as Telecommunications Policy Analyst for the City and County of San Francisco Department of Technology, where he advised the department on all legal and policy issues related to information technology and communications, including municipal broadband wireless and fiber, open source, open data and social networking policies. In 2010, Barry developed and implemented a successful ARRA Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant award of $7.9 million to the City for sustainable broadband adoption services. He also administered the City’s cable television franchise agreements and oversaw the City’s transition to California’s state video franchising statute.
From 1998-2006, Barry served as assistant director and cable franchise administrator for the County of San Diego, where he supervised cable television franchise administration and helped manage the County Television Network (CTN). Before joining San Diego County, he served as staff attorney for Utility Consumers’ Action Network (UCAN), where he litigated telecommunications and Internet consumer protection cases. Barry taught cyberspace law and legal writing as an adjunct professor at California Western School of Law in San Diego from 2000-2006, and has also worked in commercial television broadcasting as a producer, writer and editor.
Barry received a M.A. degree in Radio and Television from San Diego State University in 1991 and a J.D. degree from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1995. He is licensed to practice law in the state of California. Barry currently serves on the board of directors of the National Organization of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA), and has served as president of the States of California and Nevada Chapter of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (SCAN NATOA) from 2007-2008.