Enterprise Wireless Insider, Vol. 10, No. 5

EWA's VRS Webinar Well Attended

EWA’s recent “Strategies for Securing VRS Frequencies” webinar, covered applicable FCC rules, required interference analyses and frequency coordination protocols. On March 15, the FCC started accepting applications for vehicular repeater systems on the six 173 MHz channels that were previously set aside for data telemetry applications exclusively. 

EWA does not expect to receive a response to its February 29 letter to the FCC which questioned the FCC’s rationale for denying EWA’s claim that any coordinator should be permitted to coordinate any application regardless of the applicant’s eligibility. Given that the rules and coordination practices are identical, frequency certifications would be identical as well. Isn’t the objective to accommodate VRS needs, not to placate claims that one group of coordinators have the ability to apply some special sauce that is purported to be critical to one class of applicant over another. Ridiculous—the six frequencies are available to all classes of eligible users. EWA suggested that as more Part 90 spectrum becomes available for shared use (such as these six channels), applicants should be free to secure coordination from the FAC of their choosing.