EWA Finalizing Its "Best Practices" Communications   

EWA is finalizing a series of messages that will be sent via email to all EWA frequency coordination customers post certification and FCC application submittal in an effort to ensure that license applications are consistent with prospective licensee system expectations, to support critical FCC rule compliance and to better accommodate digital and analog systems in shared frequency environments. EWA's Board of Directors will be reviewing this initiative during its upcoming 2013 Annual Meeting.

Sprint Offers Blanket Concurrence for I/B 900 MHz Applications   

After four long years, the FCC finally agreed on June 25 to modify the 900 MHz application freeze for new systems. However, when it takes four years to decide something this simple, no one should be astonished that subsequent events have affected the outcome. In this instance, the FCC granted precisely the relief requested, that is, the application freeze will not apply to applications accompanied by a letter of concurrence from Sprint confirming that grant of the application will not adversely affect Sprint's rebanding efforts.  Unfortunately, it seemed that the FCC failed to take into consideration during its policy analysis that Sprint's iDEN network was to be taken out of operation five days later on June 30 and that Sprint's replacement CDMA system does not use 900 MHz spectrum thus making concurrences unnecessary.  MORE

Effective August 27th, the FCC will be freezing the acceptance of facilities applications and equipment certifications where the applicant has specified digitally modified equipment that does not conform to Emission Mask H and where the applicant has specified equipment that is not capable of analog FM modulation on NPSPAC mutual aid channels.  MORE

Ascend Performance is a Florida based manufacturer that uses 2 watt mobiles on 25 kHz channels bandwidths at 450 MHz that are deployed exclusively within their plant to operate 12 radio-controlled Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV).  Ascend filed a narrowbanding waiver noting that its operations would not interfere with existing users.  MORE

Exclusive Channel Opportunity

The FCC is seeking industry comment on Mobile Relay Associates' (MRA) recent waivers to operate on frequency pairs 462/467.5375 MHz and 462/467.7375 MHz at multiple locations in the Los Angeles, Denver, Las Vegas, and Miami metropolitan areas. The channel pairs are allocated for land mobile operations, but currently are not designated for use by the Industrial/Business Pool or any other Commission service.  MORE

Connect America Fund to Provide Broadband Access to 600,000

The second round of the FCC's Connect America Fund will target 600,000 homes and businesses nationwide to provide broadband access for the first time.  Over $385 million has already been requested from 44 states and Puerto Rico to expand broadband infrastructure in rural communities in their region.  The Commission's interactive map shows these locations and also an overview of the targeted broadband expansion across the nation on a county and state level.

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