EWA chief says spectrum speculators should avoid 900 MHz LMR frequencies being considered for LTE

Under the proposal, the six-month time period would allow “interested organization and licensees” to develop a spectrum plan proposal that would transform the 5×5 MHz of 900 MHz Industrial/Business (I/B) spectrum into a 2×2 MHz band for existing LMR systems and a 3×3 MHz swath to support private LTE networks.

In March, FCC officials discussed the proposal with representatives from EWA, API, UTC, Sprint—the nationwide wireless carrier that owns most of the affected spectrum in the 900 MHz band—and O’Brien, who last fall proposed the notion of transforming narrowband spectrum into frequencies that would support broadband LTE.

No formal action by the FCC followed that meeting, but the 900 MHz stakeholders are working to develop a proposal that can be considered by the regulatory agency, Crosby said.

“We’re still working out details,” he said. “There’s business progress being made, and the next substantive step is the preparation for filing a petition for rulemaking. We don’t have the details yet to prepare that, but that’s the next play.

“When that will happen, I’m not quite sure. There are still some things that we’re working out from an administrative and business standpoint.”

Crosby said the earliest timeframe for filing a petition with the FCC on the proposal probably would be in the summer.