Spectrum Preservation Advocacy - Highlight of Spring Board Meeting           

FCC Supports Signal Booster Recommendations           

It's Unanimous - Ease Up on T-Band              

Not surprisingly, in comments filed in May, virtually the entire land mobile industry suggested that it would be a disaster to repurpose the T-Band spectrum since it is such an essential asset for public safety and business enterprise users. The majority of commenters also noted that there is a shortage of comparable replacement spectrum in most of the T-Band markets for public safety users, and none at all for I/B users.  MORE    

EWA Launches Search for National Sales Director           

EWA has retained the services of JDG Associates, Rockville, Maryland, to conduct a professional search for a National Sales Director, Membership and Services. This person will be responsible for the successful strategic direction and management of all EWA sales objectives directed towards membership recruitment and retention. In addition, this position is responsible for developing new business initiatives and proactively translating them into successful strategies that will result in increased sales of current and prospective educational and technical service programs. 

TA's Role Must End Eventually - But Not Yet!           

While progress has been significant, the need for the Transition Administrator's (TA) management services is obviously not as necessary at it may have been at the outset of the 800 MHz rebanding initiative. Regardless, the TA has again recommended that the FCC postpone the 800 MHz rebanding financial true-up which would maintain the TA's active presence.  MORE

TIA Releases New IS Standard           

A new standard for certifying two-way radios and other equipment used in Class 1, Division 1 hazardous locations has been released by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) offering a less stringent option for certifying these devices than had been implemented by FM Approvals. 

FCC Denies 14 GHz Petition           

Almost five years after its submission, the FCC denied a UTC Petition for Rulemaking that sought a new secondary fixed service in the 14-14.5 GHz band for critical infrastructure (CII) users. In denying the request, the FCC said that there was no basis for concluding that this use would be able to avoid and/or resolve interference to primary satellite service.  It also disagreed with UTC's position that CII operations were a basis for an exemption from the general Congressional directive to assign spectrum by auction in instances of mutually exclusivity. 

Make a Decision Already           

The Supreme Court upheld the FCC's "shot clock" siting rule that states it is "presumptively reasonable" to require municipalities to process co-location requests in 90 days and requests for new towers in 150 days. The Court's decision may have long-term significance for the legal question of who decides the scope of an agency's jurisdiction, but it a win for the FCC, tower owners, and carriers who are supporting the expansion of the nations' commercial communications networks. The rule had been challenged by two towns in Texas as exceeding the FCC's regulatory authority. 

Establishing Future Regulatory Fees           

The Commission is now seeking comments on how to modify its processes for assigning regulatory fees to categories of licensees within its various Bureaus. The FCC specifically noted in this item that perhaps its "methodology may be burdensome on the industry and of negligible value to the Commission, due to the administrative burden of assessing the fee on many very small companies."  

Nextel iDen Network Still Scheduled for June 30 Shutdown 

Plans to end Nextel iDen network service at the end of June are confirmed by Sprint, which urges customers to migrate from the iDen network quickly to avoid service disruptions.  MORE 

Coming to Your Town Soon - FCC Violation Notices