Mother Was Right - Cooperation Is Rewarded
Power Ministries, Dunnellon, Florida (Power) had received a $12,000 Forfeiture Order for failure to operate its station WRLE-LP with a certified transmitter, which was causing interference to a Federal Aviation Administration “Air Traffic Control” frequency. The Commission asked Power to immediately cease operations, which they complied with within 30 minutes! Their prompt reaction earned them a reduced fine of $1,500.
Category: Enforcement CornerShelby County, Alabama
On January 23, the FCC released an Order providing a partial grant of several requests for waiver submitted by Shelby County, Alabama to use certain Industrial/Business VHF frequencies for a trunked public safety radio communication system, and at greater power than that normally permitted within the rules. EWA had previously filed comments in this matter questioning the reliability of certain technical and frequency coordination processes conducted by the County. In the end, the County received authority to operate on the Industrial/Business frequencies it sought authority to use, and certain technical parameters were modified as a result of EWA’s comments.
Category: In the newsState of Maine Seeks Access to 160 MHz Channels
Frustrated by a “lack of support” from the Association of American Railroads (AAR), the State of Maine (Maine) has filed eighteen applications and a waiver request seeking authority to operate trunked land mobile facilities on VHF channels which are exclusively coordinated by the AAR. Maine reports that AAR has indicated in response to repeated requests for concurrence, that it will oppose any request to coordinate VHF channels for public safety use. Maine has countered that AAR’s rejection of its request for concurrence is “grossly inadequate”, and that there are no Class I railroad operations in the entire state of Maine. EWA may have something to say in this matter when comments are due at the Commission on February 13. Public Notice
Category: In the newsLess Than One Year to Comply
EWA does not anticipate the FCC issuing any announcements that would postpone 150-512 MHz licensee obligations to comply with the spectrum efficiency producing benefits of the narrowbanding mandate. If you have any questions regarding compliance with this requirement, please contact EWA at 1-800-482-8282 or CustomerService@EnterpriseWireless.org. EWA's "Steps to Narrowbanding" document provides a summary of necessary actions, and EWA’s Narrowbanding FAQs provides a listing of the more common questions and answers we receive. FCC PN Reminder
Category: EWA On Your SideUPS Waiver Request Finally Granted
At long last, the FCC finally granted United Parcel Service’s waiver request to permanently license a 900 MHz system located in Alaska, a geographic area where 800 MHz rebanding had been completed for some time. Since new system applications have and continue to be frozen in other geographic areas, UPS had to rely on a series of Special Temporary authorizations to operate their 900 MHz system facilities. EWA will continue to pursue the release of an FCC Public Notice announcing that rebanding is complete in this and other NPSPAC regions, which was originally stated by the Commission as being the trigger for lifting the 900 MHz freeze in those areas.
Category: EWA On Your SideA Full Advocacy Agenda for 2012
The outcome of several critical regulatory matters, among them the potential utilization of 800 MHz interstitial channels, lifting the FCC’s licensing freeze on new Industrial/Business systems within the 900 MHz band, clear and concise TETRA coordination/licensing policies and, station ID methods in digital trunked systems will be the primary subjects of EWA advocacy efforts in early 2012. Full news reports and on these and other regulatory initiatives will be covered during EWA’s member-only bi-weekly Regulatory Teleconferences, and future issues of Enterprise Wireless Insider™.
Category: EWA On Your Side