Public Safety Use of I/B Spectrum 

Last week on the USMSS Info Exchange, a member posed the following question, "We are having trouble getting enough VHF Public Safety Frequencies for a county wide MOTOTRBO system we are installing for all of the County Fire Departments. We've been told that it is permissible to license business band frequencies for this purpose. Can anyone confirm that it is OK to do this or that it has been done?"  We are not sure whether in this instance the request was the result from the current 10 watt power limit at VHF that has been imposed by the Public Safety Coordination Council, but the answer is "Yes, it can be done, but please read further."  MORE  

EWA Supports Delta Airlines 

EWA filed Comments supporting the narrowbanding waiver request filed by Delta Air Lines.  Delta has already narrowbanded many of its facilities at its major airport locations, and requested a one-year extension to complete the process at an additional 120 airports.  

State of Maine Waiver 

Although the FCC had already sought and received comments regarding the State of Maine's waiver request seeking the use of VHF Industrial/Business frequencies that are coordinated exclusively by the Association of American Railroads (AAR), the FCC released a second Public Notice soliciting comment on the State's waiver request to use other Industrial/Business Pool frequencies in the same statewide system.  MORE

 

FCC Launches Incentive Auction Task Force 

To implement the FCC's new incentive auction authority that was passed by Congress in late February, FCC Chairman Genachowski announced the formation of an Incentive Auction Task Force that will be headed by Ruth Milkman.  MORE   

Economic Advisors Added to the Mix 

Not long after launching the FCC's Incentive Auction Task Force, Chairman Genachowski also announced the retention of leading experts in auction theory and implementation to assist the Task Force in its deliberations, specifically representatives from Auctionomics, Power Auctions and MicroTech.  MORE    

OET Approves Third TV White Space Database Provider 

The Commission's Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) announced that it has granted approval for Telcordia Technologies, Inc. to operate as its third "TV bands database system" provider. This database system will support unlicensed radio devices that transmit on unused channels in the spectrum bands used by broadcast television (TV white spaces, or TVWS).  MORE  

Final Antenna Structure Registration Program 

In accordance with the Federal Communications Commission's obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) has completed a Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) of the Commission's Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) program.  MORE 

Increasing Broadband Spectrum 

On March 21, the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry in which it proposed to add 40 MHz of broadband spectrum by "removing unnecessary barriers to flexible use of spectrum currently assigned to the Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) in the 2 GHz band.  MORE  

FCC Hosts Workshop on Spectrum Efficiency 

On March 12-13, the FCC held a Public Workshop on "Spectrum Efficiency and Receiver Performance."  It is not clear what the next steps will be, but the Workshop discussions confirmed the complexities of mandating receiver performance standards that have caused other Commissions to investigate and that abandon the effort.  Event Summary  

Public Safety Waiver Request Denied 

As reported above, not all public safety waiver requests to use Industrial/Business spectrum are granted by the FCC.  In this instance, the Scott Emergency Communications Center, Scott City, Iowa, requested certain waivers to add an 800 MHz frequency to its system that would short space Interstate Power and Light Company.  MORE  

Threatening to Shoot Almost Guarantees a Fine! 

In a recent Order, Gabriel A. Garcia (Garcia), San Jose, CA was issued monetary forfeiture in the amount of $25,000 for failure to allow inspection of an unlicensed broadcast station operating on various FM band frequencies.  MORE  

Visit EWA at these Upcoming Events 

EDMSSA Annual Meeting

Dover, Delaware

April 11-13, 2012.  Learn more  

WMSP Annual Meeting

Phoenix, Arizona

May 2-3, 2012.  Learn more 

SEMSS Annual Meeting 

Chattanooga, Tennessee

June 20-22, 2012