Rejection Rate of Microwave Applications Sought by FCC
The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) issued a Public Notice soliciting information from the public for use in preparing a report to Congress required by Section 6412 of the Spectrum Act. That provision requires the Commission, within nine months of enactment, to submit to Congress a report on the “rejection rate” of requests for common carrier use of spectrum in the 10,700-11,700 MHz (11 GHz), 17,700-19,700 MHz (18 GHz), and 21,200-23,600 MHz (23 GHz) bands. The term “rejection rate” includes both applications made to the Commission and requests made to third-party coordinators. The FCC wants information for the time period January 1, 2010 to present and has asked that it be filed by July 20.
Category: In the newsLicenses Revoked – Really Revoked
The FCC ended a proceeding involving the 800 MHz licenses held by James A. Kay, Jr. & Buddy Corporation/ Marc Sobel & MS Airwaves, Inc. by revoking all of the licenses under investigation. The ten year long proceeding included character investigations and, an action in which the parties requested but were denied review by the Supreme Court. In announcing its denial and dismissal of the various still-pending Applications for Review and Petitions for Reconsideration, the FCC stated that “all of the licenses that are the subject of these five petitions have been revoked and the decision to revoke those licenses has become final. Moreover, all of the applications that are the subject of these petitions were dismissed because they were associated with the revoked licenses. The dismissal of those applications has also become final. Order
Category: In the newsInteroperability Technical Requirements Released
The FCC approved for transmittal to NTIA the minimum technical requirements submitted by the Technical Advisory Board for First Responder Interoperability. The report, entitled “Recommended Minimum Technical Requirements to Ensure Nationwide Interoperability for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network” sets forth the recommended minimum technical requirements for interoperability of the public safety network to be created via Congressional approval this past February known as FirstNet. Order
Category: In the newsFCC to Hold Forum on Future of Wireless Band Plans
The FCC’s Technological Advisory Council will hold a forum on July 16 regarding the future of wireless band plans. According to the Commission, the forum will launch a continuing dialogue between the agency and key industry stakeholders, and will explore the technological issues affecting wireless band plan design. Discussion topics will include the impact of developments in filter technology on band planning, LTE trends and their implications for future band plans, and network operator perspectives on band plan design. The forum will be broadcasted live over the Internet.
Category: In the newsTwo Energy Companies Receive Narrowband Waivers
The FCC recently granted narrowband waiver requests to Avista Corp. (extension to 9/30/14) and to Puget Sound Energy (extension to 10/31/13). Both are in the process of migrating their operations in whole or in part to Part 80 maritime spectrum, and will be relinquishing at least some of the PLMR authorizations subject to narrowband once that migration is complete. The FCC also requested comment on a narrowband waiver request from First Student, Inc., a school bus transportation company, that has sought an extension until January 1, 2014, to complete its narrowband work. EWA filed comments supporting First Student’s waiver request.
Category: In the newsLMCC Supports TIA’s T-Band Clarification Request
The LMCC agreed with arguments posed by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) that the Commission should clarify its intention to both allow permissive changes to existing T-Band wideband equipment and the certification of new equipment that is capable of 25 kHz bandwidth operation in the T-Band. The LMCC also stated that while the TIA petition focused on the need for clarification regarding equipment used by public safety licensees, business and industrial licensees are equally impacted by the ambiguity in the original Order, and that “all affected T-Band licensees will benefit from the clarification requested within.”
Press Release
EWA Questions Legitimacy of FCC T-Band Actions
In a letter sent to the FCC WTB and PSHSB Chiefs, EWA stated that it was “deeply troubled by recent actions that seriously undermine the current use of this spectrum and threaten its long-term availability.” EWA also stated that despite “The Commission’s desire to stabilize the spectrum environment for the future, unidentified use of T-Band by unknown entities has actually served to destabilize what has been a vibrant spectral environment, an intensively used allocation that has provided critical communications capabilities for many thousands of Industrial/Business entities that promote local economies and create jobs.”
EWA requested “that the Commission support the continued, unrestricted use of T-Band channels by Industrial/Business licensees” based on the fact that recent Spectrum Reform legislation made no reference to Industrial/Business (I/B) T-Band spectrum, unlike Public Safety that received the 700 MHz D Block “in exchange” for its T-Band spectrum, nor was there any provisions addressing replacement spectrum or relocation funding for I/B licensees incumbents. EWA Letter