What's My Call Sign Again?
A Notice of Violation was issued to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, licensee of Private Land Mobile Station WPVQ779 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for transmitting frequencies that “did not meet the emission mask requirements” and for transmitting the incorrect call sign.
Category: Enforcement CornerRescue Squad Scores Violation Trifecta
Trevose Heights Rescue Squad (Trevose), a licensee of Private Land Mobile Station WQKF612 in Southampton, Pennsylvania, was issued a Notice of Violation for three separate issues, including failure to identify the station during transmission, causing potential harmful interference by failure to monitor communications, and transmitting on a narrowband digital frequency when authorized for only FM analog emissions. Trevose was given 20 days to respond.
Category: Enforcement Corner4.9 GHz Spectrum Underutilized?
The FCC recently released a Fourth Report and Order and Fifth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in WP Docket No. 07-100 addressing issues related to 4.9 GHz, a band that has been allocated exclusively for public safety broadband and backhaul purposes. In this proceeding, the FCC is now seeking comment on, among other issues, whether to establish formal coordination requirements in the 4.9 GHz band and to potentially expand 4.9 GHz eligibility to include critical infrastructure and commercial entities. News Release
Category: In the newsFirst Group Waiver Affects 50,000 Vehicles
The FCC is seeking comment on FirstGroup America’s (FGA) June 19 request for a 12-month extension to its narrowband deadline. The waiver request is notable because it comes from the largest school bus transportation company in North America, carrying 6 million students daily in 50,000 buses operating in over 600 cities. FGA’s narrowbanding obligation is sizable, requiring reprogramming of 18,000 radios and replacement of 12,000 more. Comments are due July 13. Public Notice
Category: In the newsTrunking System Data Bursts – Harmful Interference or Not?
The FCC denied a request from Icom America seeking clarification of the Commission’s FCC’s regulations regarding trunking in the bands between 150 and 512 MHz, specifically, guidance as to whether a 250-millisecond data burst would constitute “harmful interference” under Section 90.187(b) of the Commission’s Rules.
The LMCC had earlier filed comments noting that Icom’s request should not be granted without additional testing and input, and that whatever action is taken, it should apply equally to Industrial/Business and Public Safety Pool frequencies. In its Order, the FCC agreed with LMCC that Section 90.187(b) should be applied equally to all licensees. Moreover, it stated that “[I]n light of our discretion as to whether or when to address requests for clarification or declaratory ruling, we decline to issue a blanket response on the definition of harmful interference. Instead, the determination of harmful interference shall continue to require a case-by-case analysis of each specific situation.”
LMCC Files Adjacent Channel Contour Value Table
The Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC) advised the Commission that the LMCC coordinators unanimously adopted an Adjacent Channel Contour Values (ACCV) table to be used to determine the availability of FB8 channels in the VHF/UHF bands. The LMCC expects the FCC to issue a Public Notice acknowledging the adoption of the ACCV table rather than incorporating it in the rules and asked that the table be made effective upon execution of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) among all LMCC members. LMCC Letter
Category: In the newsMuchas Gracias - FCC Announces 800 MHz Agreement with Mexico
Although some thought this day might never come, spectrum authorities in the U.S. and Mexico signed protocols for sharing spectrum in the 800 MHz and 1.9 GHz bands along the U.S.-Mexican border earlier this month. The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau is expected to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking this week to incorporate the sharing agreement into FCC rules. Once adopted, 800 MHz rebanding will commence in the Mexican Border Region. The Comment and Reply Comment periods for the NPR are expected to be relatively brief, probably 30 to 45 days, similar to when the rules were modified to reflect the U.S.-Canadian border agreement. Public Notice
Category: In the newsT-Band Repurposing Alarms New Jersey Borough
After spending over $500,000 in taxpayer money to modify and update their system to comply with Commission narrowbanding requirements, intended to take “the Borough through the next 20 years”, the Borough of Carlstadt in Bergen County, New Jersey expressed disappointment that it would be “rendered useless in just 10 years” when they are forced to relocate from T-Band. The Borough noted this concern in a letter to FCC Chairman Genachowski and suggested that “[T]he Federal Government should rethink the purpose of this legislation.” Borough of Carstadt letter to FCC
Category: In the newsTIA Requests Narrowband Waiver for T-Band Equipment
TIA has asked that the waiver of narrowbanding requirements governing the manufacturing and sale of T-Band equipment be clarified to permit new equipment authorization requests for equipment capable of wideband operation in T-Band in addition to permitting the manufacture and importation of already certified equipment. Comments on their Petition for Clarification and/or Declatory Ruling are due on June 27 with Reply Comments on July 2. The LMCC is in the process of securing advocacy approval to support this TIA Petition. Public Notice
Category: In the newsEWA Answers T-Band Licensee Inquiries
During its recent webinar on the T-Band reallocation and its pending consequences, many participants asked questions during and afterwards. Answers to these questions may now be reviewed at Frequently Asked Questions. If any webinar participants do not see their specific question(s), please contact EWA at Info@EnterpriseWireless.org.
EWA will be officially forming a T-Band Users Forum for the purpose of sharing information on policies under development and possible outcomes. The T-Band Users Group will be meeting during the October 2012 Enterprise Wireless Leadership Summit in Nashville, Tennessee, and in the interim, will receive EWA, industry and FCC activity updates through Special Bulletins. Members who wish to participate in the forum are requested to contact Louise Hippolyte.
FCC Provides T-Band Licensing Clarifications
The FCC responded to EWA’s recent Request for Clarification regarding the T-Band application freeze, and provided the following answers:
- Acceptance and processing of applications proposing to add or modify transmitter locations are suspended only if the new location extends the station’s authorized interference contour in any direction;
- Contrary to EWA’s recommendation, the FCC will apply the freeze to applications proposing to replace one T-Band frequency with another;
- Applications to add or change an emission type are frozen only if they propose to increase the authorized bandwidth, except for licensees migrating to TETRA equipment; and
- Applications to renew and/or modify a license will be granted in whole or in part depending on whether the proposed modification does not conflict with the freeze conditions.
As with most efforts intended to provide clarification, responses help in some areas, and are not helpful in others. For example, within T-Band, geographic coverage is based on 40 mile separation requirements from other co-channel licensees, not necessarily interference contours which may be used when trunked systems applications are seeking exclusive use channels. It also doesn’t seem to make much sense to prohibit channel swaps as the “spectral environment” isn’t changed in such instances.
Category: EWA On Your Side