EWA Recommends Expanding 4.9 GHz Access              

In Comments filed on November 1, EWA recommended that the 4.9 GHz band be made available for all private internal systems - those that are used to meet internal communications requirements only and that are not used to provide service to third parties on a for-profit basis.  This would include systems beyond those the FCC historically has classified as Critical Infrastructure Industries (CII).  EWA urged  the FCC to revisit its current interpretation of entities that properly can be identified as CII to ensure that this categorization is consistent with the public interest.  MORE  

EWA Meets with the FCC          

Mark Crosby and Liz Sachs met with FCC staff members last week to check on the progress of a number of critical matters, including the potential to lift the 900 MHz Industrial/Business application freeze before the end of 2012 and the opportunity to expand the efficiency of the 800 MHz band by allowing the use of 12.5 kHz interstitial channels at 854-861/809-816 MHz.  MORE  

PSCC Suggests Amendments to VHF Digital Coordination Standards  

The Public Safety Communications Council (PSCC) has proposed the following coordination standards for VHF public safety digital applications: (1) 250 km protection from proposed base station to co-channel and 7.5 kHz adjacent channel incumbent mobile licensees; (2) incumbent mobile receiver antenna height assumed equal to transmitter antenna height; (3) assumption of a 60 m receiver antenna if receiver antenna cannot be inferred from 2 above; (4) proposed digital systems will have a Longley-Rice study conducted at 50% (time), 50% (location), and 50% probability applied; and (5) a signal level of -110 dBm or greater at incumbent site will cause proposed station to fail the protection standard.  

LMDS Construction Extension Requests Denied 

The FCC has denied multiple requests for additional time to comply with the substantial service requirement for Local Multipoint Distribution Service (LMDS) licenses. In each case, they stated that the licensee had not demonstrated circumstances beyond its control as justification for not having deployed facilities. 

Revised Dates Set in Wireless Microphones Proceeding            

The Commission has revised the Comment Due and Comment Reply deadline dates regarding the 2010 Wireless Microphones Further Notice. Comments are due on or before November 21, 2012, and Reply Comments are due on or before December 12, 2012 for this proceeding.  Public Notice 

Grinch Reconsiders Comment Deadline           

Some Grinch at the FCC had originally established the comments in this proceeding to be filed the day after Thanksgiving (November 23) and the day before Christmas (December 24), or maybe it was intended as a cruel joke all along.  MORE 

Big Company Equals Bigger Fine           

Union Oil Company of California (UOCC), former licensee of station WPHA630, Nikiski, Alaska, and Aeronautical and Fixed Advisory (UNICOM) station WAL7, Cook Inlet, Alaska, was issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture for $96,200 for the continued usage of both station licenses after their expiration and failure to file the necessary forms for to continue operations in a timely manner.  MORE