https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookie Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

content


‘The amount of the notice will be uncomfortably brief.’

‘The amount of the notice will be uncomfortably brief.’

About five years ago, the FCC froze license applications for new exclusive private radio systems in the 470MHz-512MHz band to give it time to "refarm"
  • Written by Urgent Communications Administrator
  • 1st November 1997

About five years ago, the FCC froze license applications for new exclusive private radio systems in the 470MHz-512MHz band to give it time to “refarm” the spectrum. Refarming is a change of technical, operating and licensing requirements intended to fit more users into a given portion of spectrum.

In 1995, the FCC issued new rules in the refarming proceeding and announced that it would lift the freeze.

Shortly thereafter, it delayed lifting the freeze when the Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC) asked for time to recommend procedures for coordinating applications and for avoiding interference among the new and existing systems. LMCC wanted to avoid the prospect of conflicting applications being filed with different coordinators and then being forwarded to the FCC. The FCC might use auctions to resolve mutually exclusive applications, something most private radio users want to avoid.

On Sept. 10, 1997, LMCC sent its plan to the commission. In response, the FCC announced that it would lift the freeze on Oct. 17. Since Oct. 1, license seekers have been permitted to submit applications to frequency coordinators, and the coordinators now communicate with each other about conflicting applications. Regardless of which coordinator receives an application to use a given frequency in a given location, the first such application received is the one to be forwarded to the commission.

Then, on Oct. 7, in a move that surprised an audience to whom he spoke at the Industrial Telecommunications Association conference in Washington, an FCC official announced that the freeze may not be lifted after all.

The reason seems to be a combination of factors.

For one thing, several petitions for reconsideration sent to the FCC in the refarming matter haven’t yet been answered. Maybe, all by itself, the question of these petitions wouldn’t have led to a continuation of the freeze. But there is some concern that one or more of the petitions might be resolved in a way that would require the FCC to modify or rescind some of the licenses granted after Oct. 17.

For another thing, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials_International (APCO), which represents police and fire departments, filed an “emergency petition for clarification” with the FCC on Oct. 1, pointing out a possible problem: Business and industrial users might apply for licenses to use full-power radio systems on channels separated as little as 12.5kHz from existing public safety systems. Too close, says APCO. And APCO thinks the FCC hasn’t made it clear whether such assignments would be allowed.

Although careful frequency coordination might and should avoid interference from the 12.5kHz offset channels, APCO wants to be sure. It wants offset channels adjacent to existing public safety systems to be reserved for future public safety applicants only.

Complicating things even more, the 1997 federal Balanced Budget Act contains two definitions of “public safety services.” One falls in line with APCO’s traditional “guns and hoses” membership of police and fire agencies. This definition is in language that describes entities intended to receive reallocated spectrum from TV channels 60-69. The other, a broader definition, includes utilities, railroads, pipelines, automobile clubs and metropolitan transit authorities. It appears in language that describes radio services not subject to spectrum auctions, and that directs the FCC to make sure that, when allocating spectrum, it takes into consideration the needs of this broader class of public safety users.

So, previously filed petitions for reconsideration, the APCO petition and the potential for several additional classes of radio users to claim certain rights or privileges as “public safety” users led the chief of the FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Daniel Phythyon, to make an announcement Oct. 7 at the ITA conference. He said it was his intention to stay the order lifting portions or all of the freeze on accepting applications for exclusive systems in the 470MHz-512MHz band. With the freeze otherwise having been due to lift only 10 days later, he commented, “The amount of the notice will be uncomfortably brief.”

The freeze already has been “uncomfortably long.”

Phythyon said he has no estimate of a new timeline for resolving the issues underlying the freeze. As of Oct. 9, with this column due to be sent to the printer, it looked as though Phythyon might lack enough commissioners’ votes to sustain the stay he said he intended to issue. So as you read this, the controversial stay may not have been issued, and there may be joy in private radio. If the stay is issued, a lot of private radio users, equipment dealers and manufacturers will be justifiably frustrated, and you might hear them yell from where you are.

Let there be joy.

* * *

Moratoria no more On Sept. 11, adding its voice to that of Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), Personal Communications Industry Association (PCIA) called on the FCC “to preempt state and local moratoria on tower siting that bar entry into the wireless communications marketplace.” PCIA wants an end to open-ended moratoria, any single moratoria or cumulative moratoria extending beyond 90 days and any moratoria based on radio-frequency emission concerns.

The FCC has shown reluctance to preempt state authority in certain matters, partly because federal courts sometimes scrutinize preemptions carefully and may overturn them. Once upon a time, though, the FCC was reluctant to regulate the frequency coverage of radio receivers, and it managed to reform its ways on that matter at the histrionic urging of CTIA. Maybe CTIA and PCIA together can cause the FCC to reform its ways once again and override state and local government authority. Maybe. Scanner hobbyists don’t have access to taxpayer money to pay for the defense of their interests. State and local governments do.

That’s what you want to see, isn’t it? Your state and local tax dollars being used to pay lawyers to fight other lawyers paid by your federal tax dollars in a court supported by your tax dollars. — Don Bishop

Tags: content

Most Recent


  • ‘The amount of the notice will be uncomfortably brief.’
    Newscan: Securing the Internet of Things is quite a challenge
    Also: EWA requests dismissal of 900 MHz applications; TIA names tech and policy priorities for 2014; IJIS Institute names Shumate Award winner; App makes bus waits more tolerable; a Blackberry comeback may be in the offing.
  • ‘The amount of the notice will be uncomfortably brief.’
    Newscan: FCC certifies Carlson Wireless's white-space radio
    Also: Congress looks to revamp telecom law; Obama to place some restraints on surveillance; IEEE to study spectrum-occupancy sensing for white-spaces broadband; Major Swedish transport operator opts for Sepura TETRA radios; RFMD to partner on $70 million next-generation power grid project; NENA opens registratiuon for "911 Goes to Washington."
  • ‘The amount of the notice will be uncomfortably brief.’
    Newscan: A look at the critical job of 911 dispatchers
    Also: NYC launches website for tracking 911 response times; Oregon implements 911 on pre-paid cell phones; LightSquared wants to keep spectrum assets; Harris receives multiple government orders; FCC extends rebanding financial reconciliation deadline; Zetron gear at core of communications system upgrade; Ritron debuts wireless access control system; EWA seeks policy review of VHF vehicular repeater system deployments.
  • ‘The amount of the notice will be uncomfortably brief.’
    Newscan: Average peak data rates of 144 MB/s average realized in tests with CAT 4 LTE device
    Also: Verizon, T-Mobile to swap unused spectrum to improve coverage; Internet giants oppose surveillance--but only when the government does it; FCC Chairman says incentive auction will be delayed until middle of 2015; FCC chair announces staff appointments; Alcatel-Lucent names Tim Krause as chief marketing officer; New Jersey county deploys TriTech CAD system; Toronto airport deploys 26-position Zetron console system;

Leave a comment Cancel reply

To leave a comment login with your Urgent Comms account:

Log in with your Urgent Comms account

Or alternatively provide your name, email address below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • RugGear: Contributing to the future of mission-critical broadband communication review and market vision
  • Photo gallery: 2014 Communications Marketing Conference (CMC) in Tucson
  • ‘The amount of the notice will be uncomfortably brief.’
    Top 5 Stories - Week of Sept. 22
  • ‘The amount of the notice will be uncomfortably brief.’
    RCA plans to expand this year's Technical Symposium

Commentary


Updated: How ‘sidelink’ peer-to-peer communications can enhance public-safety operations

  • 1
27th February 2023

NG911 needed to secure our communities and nation

24th February 2023

How 5G is making cities safer, smarter, and more efficient

26th January 2023
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

Microsoft Outlook vulnerability could be 2023’s ‘It’ bug dlvr.it/SlC3Hh

20th March 2023
UrgentComm

Getting to know the how–and why–of the telecom cloud dlvr.it/SlBbD1

20th March 2023
UrgentComm

Zipline delivery drone docks, charges by itself dlvr.it/SlBNWy

20th March 2023
UrgentComm

State and local leaders can alleviate the burden on public-safety personnel by tackling three workforce trends dlvr.it/SlBH89

20th March 2023
UrgentComm

6G is shaping up to disappoint, and the industry can blame itself dlvr.it/Sl918J

20th March 2023
UrgentComm

Change is coming to the network detection and response (NDR) market dlvr.it/Sl4cts

18th March 2023

Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.