Enterprise Wireless Insider® Volume 4, Issue 12

Citizens Band Users and Linear Amplifiers Don’t Mix

Representatives of the FCC’s Philadelphia office recently visited a CB operator after neighbors complained of interference with their televisions and telephones.   While CB system users do not need a license, they are prohibited from using linear amplifiers to augment their coverage.  The operator was warned that he may be subject to severe penalties in the terms of monetary fines, seizure of equipment and criminal sanctions including imprisonment if he did not cease operations using the amplifier. 10-4 good buddy!  MORE

Improving International Comparisons

Apparently, the Broadband Data Improvement Act requires the Commission to collect data on the extent of broadband service capability in other countries to enable the Commission to examine this information as part of its annual consideration of whether advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed to all Americans on a reasonable and timely basis. There are an abundance of questions the Commission poses with respect to this issue, and responses are due on September 27^th.  An illustrative question is an invitation to comment “on what factors are likely to affect the supply of and demand for broadband and whether an analysis of these factors will help identify ‘similarities and differences’ between communities with respect to the extent of broadband service capabilities.”  MORE

Roadmap Key to Fighting Cyber Threats

As part of the Commission’s National Broadband Plan (NBP), it was recommended that the FCC, in coordination with the Executive Branch, establish a plan to address cybersecurity. Comments are now being solicited to create a “Cybersecurity Roadmap” to identify communications networks or end-user vulnerabilities, develop countermeasures and solutions to respond to cyber threats.  The FCC is asking for comments to be submitted by September 23, 2010, in order to meet a November 2010 completion date.  MORE

Auction 89 Postponed

On August 26^th, the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau announced that it was postponing the auction of 218-219 MHz Service, and Phase II 220 MHz Services licenses that had been scheduled to begin on December 7^th.  The Bureau offered no reason for the postponement.  MORE

$70 Million Grant Announced for 700 MHz Devices

In an effort to open up the 700 MHz Public Safety equipment market, Representatives Jane Harman and John Shimkus, introduced the Next Generation Public Safety Device Act of 2010 which would authorize $70 million in competitive grants to develop and build prototype 700 MHz mission critical voice and data mobile devices.  The National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) would coordinate with the FCC, the DHS Office of Emergency Communications, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and public safety representatives to develop criteria, evaluate devices and select products for funding and licensing.  MORE

800 MHz Freeze Reinstated Along Canadian Border

The FCC has issued a Public Notice announcing that it has reinstated the freeze on the filing of new, non-rebanding related 800 MHz applications in the Canadian Border region.  The Notice said that this reinstatement was needed to preserve vacant channels for licensees retuning their systems and will be in effect until the earlier of April 14, 2011, or such time as the FCC determines that accepting non-rebanding applications will not adversely affect rebanding.  MORE

Can Interoperability Be Enhanced With Competition?

The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued a Public Notice on August 19^th to explore "potential barriers to achieving nationwide interoperability for both broadband and narrowband communication" for public safety systems. The Notice states that a small number of equipment providers support mission-critical communications and asks for comments about the current state of competition in this marketplace, the impact of the level of equipment on interoperability, the limitations of Project 25 in promoting interoperability and whether open standards could increase competition. Comments are due on September 20^th. MORE

New Jersey Township Gets Its Wish

The Township of Wayne, New Jersey, was granted its waiver request to operate on existing TV channels 14 and 15 for trunked operations and channel 19 for conventional for their new wireless communications system. The grant arrived with a few special conditions, however, as portions of the system fall outside the permitted 80 km limit of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The Township provided an engineering showing evidencing that they would protect Channel 15, and executed a Memorandum of Understanding with Channel 19 requiring the Township to accept and remedy any interference they may occur given the close proximity to Channel 19.  MORE

LMCC Busy With Technical Issues

The LMCC Spectrum Management Task Force met on August 24^th and reviewed a variety of subjects including the need to potentially identify spectrum to accommodate Vehicular Repeater Units, and how non-standard channel centers within the 150-900 MHz bands should be incorporated within the frequency coordination and FCC licensing process.  In another matter, the LMCC anticipates receiving from the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) that organization’s recommendation regarding which incumbent licensees should be considered “affected parties” pursuant to FCC Rules Section 90.187.

EWA Questions Wisdom of Proposed License Renewal Processes

In comments filed August 23, EWA recommended that with regard to geographic license renewals, that the FCC would be wise “not adopt a one size fits all approach to the showing needed to justify license renewal.” Further, EWA noted that the Commission should advise licensees how it actually intends to evaluate all of the new informational submissions licensees might be obligated to provide along with their renewal applications. If the information the FCC is asking licensees to submit at renewal will have a substantive impact on renewal expectancy, then licensees have the right to know in advance, what weight will be given to it when the FCC considers whether or not to renew a license.

EWA had earlier filed Comments supporting rule changes that would require site-based licensees, including public safety entities, to confirm at license renewal that the authorized spectrum continues to be used in accordance with the terms of the authorization.  MORE

Renewals - Not What They Used To Be

Two years from now, ten years from now, who would ever be able to say with a straight face that this Commission did not pursue any and all conceivable regulatory avenues necessary to scrape together spectrum for the National Broadband Plan.  You have to applaud them for their perseverance and hope. 

EWA has now filed two sets of comments in the FCC’s proceeding that seeks to establish uniform license renewal, discontinuance of operations and other associated rules.  Portions of this FCC proposal certainly have the potential to improve the spectrum landscape.  One is the recommendation that would have licensees proactively review their license at the time of renewal and affirm that all administrative and technical information is accurate. This is far better than the “is it that time again?”  approach that is all too often the process followed today.  And it’s a good thing to have all site-based wireless system licensees, including public safety entities, to double check information, especially since licenses last 10 years.  Not much stays the same after ten years as a glance in the mirror every morning so rudely reminds me. I figure the same would hold true for wireless communications systems.

On the other hand, perhaps the Commission will carefully review its recommendations with respect to geographic license renewals.  Some geographic licensees have won a few geographic parcels where they are permitted to deploy 25 kHz or 30 kHz voice and data systems.  Other geographic licensees have the entire country blanketed with the right to use 10 or more MHz of spectrum.  And still another maintains literally thousands of individual licenses on which national communications service is provided. 

If you want to take back spectrum at the time of renewal to auction it again for broadband use, why would you administratively encumber at time of renewal, the same entities that are truly providing broadband service to America?  What new information is the Commission hoping to discover with such additional requirements, especially when the Agency already has at its disposal the majority of the data it seeks.   And perhaps most importantly, and at a minimum, if the Commission is geared up to proceed with the new renewal submission processes notwithstanding the substantial pushback it has received over these proposals, they at least owe an explanation on what they intend to do with all of the additional renewal paperwork. We may know why they want the data, but does the Commission know themselves what the triggers are that would result in spectrum being taking away from one entity and made available for another entity’s effort to provide broadband?   How could one gum up a renewal that badly?

This seems like a lot of work with the potential for myriad skirmishes between licensees and the FCC, but little return.