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
    • Product Guides
  • 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
    • Product Guides
  • 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


Guess who’s back?

Guess who’s back?

After a hiatus of about 12 years, I am pleased to have been invited back by MRT to become a regulatory consultant. Since that time, I have written for
  • Written by Urgent Communications Administrator
  • 1st May 2003

After a hiatus of about 12 years, I am pleased to have been invited back by MRT to become a regulatory consultant. Since that time, I have written for both Communications and Radio Resource magazines. I have nothing but the highest of praise and the utmost respect for the people I worked with on both publications. However, the opportunity for increased writing opportunities was something that was difficult to pass up.

The folks at MRT have offered me the “back page” every month, and I’d like to continue my commitment to writing honest, straight-forward columns about things that you care about, or need to know. In that light, I’d like to offer you the opportunity to set the topic agenda. Feel free to send me a note at [email protected], and let me know what topics you’d like to have expressed in this forum. Even if you don’t think that it’s worthy of a full column, I’ll still try to get your questions answered in some format.

Having said that, it’s now time to come back to one of those old topics, Refarming. There are two recent decisions which are important in the Refarming arena, one regarding mandatory narrowbanding and one regarding the “Low Power Pool” channels at 450 MHz.

In WT Docket No. 99-87, the FCC proposed to mandate narrowbanding by 150 MHz and 450 MHz Part 90 licensees. This was believed necessary because the conversion to narrowbanding through the equipment certification process has yet to yield significant results. In its March 2003 Report & Order, the FCC ruled that it will stop accepting applications for new “wide-band” facilities, or expanding existing facilities, in six months (October 2003).

In the Order, the FCC mandated that non-Public Safety licensees must convert to 12.5 kHz (or equivalent) bandwidth equipment by Jan. 1, 2008, and Jan. 1, 2008, for Public Safety licensees. The Commission also requested comments on a mandatory migration to 6.25 kHz or equivalent technology at some point.

Expect Petitions for Reconsideration on this item (which will probably be filed by the time that you read this), from public safety groups asking for additional time, and from some private land mobile groups asking for a faster conversion.

The FCC has also issued an Order in WT Docket No. 01-146. In this proceeding, the Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC) filed a Petition for Rule Making to group the 450 MHz former “offset” frequencies into groups of various power and operational limitations. For the most part, the Commission granted the LMCC Petition as filed. Here’s a summary of the relevant decision:

  • The FCC Created Four Different Sets Of Low Power Frequencies

    • “Middle Power” (20 Watt ERP Base/Fixed) Voice Or Non-Voice Channels (Group A)
    • Low Power (6 Watt ERP) Non-Voice Channels (Group B)
    • Itinerant Use, Non-Coordinated Channels (Group C)
    • Central Station Alarm Channels (Group D)
    • Low Power Public Safety Group (6 Watt ERP)

Group A Frequencies:

  • 49 12.5 kHz Channel Pairs, 1 Unpaired Channel

  • Coordinated

  • Antenna Max 75 Feet Above Ground

  • Power Limitations

    • 20 Watts ERP For Base/Fixed Stations
    • 6 Watts ERP for Mobiles
    • 2 Watts ERP For Portable
  • 39 Of 49 Channels

    • Outside Of 50 Miles – 500 Watts ERP
    • Called Group 1A Channels
  • All Classes Of Data (Fixed, Base/Mobile, Mobile Only, Telemetry) Classified As Co-Primary To Voice

  • FCC Will Continue To Permit Low Power Licensees To License Multiple Fixed Sites As Mobile Units And Specify An Area Of Operation Instead Of Providing Fixed Coordinates

  • Fixed Operation Permitted On “High Side” Or “Low Side” Of Frequency Pair

    • “High Side” Fixed Operation Limited To 6 Watts ERP

Group A1 Frequencies:

  • High Power Use Subject To Interference Contour Analysis
  • No Wide-Area Operation Permitted For Operations Which Exceed 6 Watts ERP

Group B Frequencies:

  • 10 12.5 kHz Channel Pairs For Low Power, Non-Voice

  • Coordinated

  • Power/Antenna

    • 20 Foot AGL
    • 6 Watt ERP Mobiles, 2 Watt ERP Portables
  • Mobile-Only Data Systems Permitted

  • Voice Operations Permitted On Secondary Basis

Group C Frequencies:

  • 21 12.5 kHz Channel Pairs And 4 Unpaired Channels For Low Power Use Nationwide
  • Non-Coordinated
  • 6 Watt Mobiles, 2 Watt Portables
  • Co-Primary Voice And Data
  • 10 Of The Channels Not Available Until End Of Medical Telemetry Migration Deadline (October 2003)
  • Fixed Operation Not Permitted, Although “Temporary” Fixed Operation Is Allowed With 20 Foot Max AGL

Group D Frequencies:

  • 5 12.5 kHz Channel Pairs For Low Power Use
  • Coordinated
  • Reserved For Central Alarm Station Use

A handy Powerpoint presentation with details on both Orders (and the specific frequencies in each Group) can be found here: http://www.shulmanrogers.com/refarmingdocs.html

Tags: content

Most Recent


  • Guess who’s back?
    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.
  • Guess who’s back?
    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."
  • Guess who’s back?
    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.
  • Guess who’s back?
    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
  • Guess who’s back?
    Top 5 Stories - Week of Sept. 22
  • Guess who’s back?
    RCA plans to expand this year's Technical Symposium

Commentary


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

26th January 2023

3GPP moves Release 18 freeze date to March 2024

18th January 2023

Do smart cities make safer cities?

  • 1
6th January 2023
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

AT&T becoming a “public-safety company” with FirstNet, NG911 work, exec says dlvr.it/Sj8FXL

9th February 2023
UrgentComm

Command-injection bug in Cisco industrial gear opens devices to complete takeover dlvr.it/Sj6X3l

8th February 2023
UrgentComm

AR-based next-gen maps aim to rebalance detail and simplicity dlvr.it/Sj4gdM

7th February 2023
UrgentComm

Vodafone UK starts ‘risky’ shift to 5G standalone dlvr.it/Sj4dPJ

7th February 2023
UrgentComm

ChatGPT may be fastest-growing app of all time, UBS Says dlvr.it/Sj4NfL

7th February 2023
UrgentComm

Public-safety coalition renews efforts to secure federal NG911 funding dlvr.it/ShwGfn

4th February 2023
UrgentComm

Newscan: Cyberattacks on DoE national labs draw lawmaker scrutiny dlvr.it/Shvpw3

3rd February 2023
UrgentComm

The shine begins to wear off 5G private wireless dlvr.it/Shth0P

3rd February 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.