Request for Conditional Licensing Authority Granted   

EWA Pursues Spectrum Fairness in Colorado 

In a letter to the FCC regarding EWA's Petition for Reconsideration of the waiver issued to Weld County, Colorado which sought access to two 800 MHz B/ILT channels, EWA suggested that the County should instead secure authority to use two Nextel-vacated channels that are reserved for applicants such as the County.  MORE

Should There Be Exceptions to Narrowbanding? 

The FCC recently denied a waiver request submitted by Ascend Performance Material for a permanent waiver of the narrowband mandate requirement. Ascend uses wideband technology entirely within its closed facilities to remotely control unmanned vehicles. In its comments, EWA stated that while it is a strong supporter of narrowbanding and related enforcement, there may be instances in which continued wideband operation would not compromise the narrowbanding objectives.  MORE

EWA Supports Use of Band Edge Waiver   

EWA filed comments supporting a request from Mobile Relay Associates to use currently unallocated 6.25 kHz frequency pairs for control channel purposes in four metropolitan areas. The frequencies are not currently designated for use by Industrial/Business (I/B) users as they served as guard band channels between Part 90 I/B and General Mobile Radio Service channels.  MORE

First Joseph B. Vestal Endowed Scholarship Awarded   

Christopher Bowles, an undergraduate at Old Dominion University (ODU), Norfolk, Virginia, has been awarded the first Joseph B. Vestal Endowed Scholarship. This EWA program, administered by ODU's Student Development Office, recognizes and financially supports students who are planning professional careers in the wireless industry.  MORE 

New Officers and Board Members at EWA   

New members of the Board of Directors were announced during EWA's annual membership meeting held on October 2 during the 2013 Wireless Leadership Summit in St. Louis, namely Michael Fordinal, DFW Communications; Jenna Lacouette, New York Communications; and Thomas Warman, First Group America. The new officers are Bart Fisher, Fisher Wireless, Chairman of the Board; Catherine Leonard, Comtronics, Vice Chair of the Board; and William Jenkins, Sprint, Treasurer.  At the membership meeting, long time board member and industry veteran George Lockhart officially announced that he is stepping down from the EWA board. The full board, executive committee and officers appear on EWA's website.
 

Sprint Vacated Spectrum   

EWA will keep its members informed of filing requirements associated with this new tranche of spectrum which is initially reserved for public safety applicants.  Before the government shutdown, the FCC had announced that October 29, 2013, would be the next filing window for additional Sprint Vacated Spectrum in the 809-815/854-860 MHz band (Channels 231-470). On October 15, 2013, the pre-filing coordination notification process for frequency coordinators to address and resolve conflicting applications started.  MORE

Atlanticare Medical Center EMS, owner and operator of private land mobile facilities in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey was fined $4,000 for operating a transmitter at an unauthorized location. What's interesting about this case, however, is that the investigation started because a co-channel licensee complained about harmful interference from an unidentified digital transmitter.  It turns out that Atlanticare was not authorized to operate from the location causing the interference and was licensed for analog not digital operations.  MORE

The following topics and events took place during the EWA-USMSS hosted 2013 Wireless Leadership Summit in St. Louis.

• In his Keynote Address, former Nextel Chairman Morgan O'Brien suggested efforts should commence to create an LTE-based broadband opportunity for private land mobile entities (See video interview response from Mark Crosby);
         
• In an opening panel that featured innovations secrets (and a magic trick), Jim Silke, Jr. with Silke Communications, Paul Lauttamus with Lauttamus Communications and Perry Vincent with Louisiana Radio, shared some of the ways they are expanding and breaking boundaries with their two-way radio businesses by employing new sales methods, new ventures from security to running an ISP and smart marketing;
       
• Afternoon sessions covered topics including HR, hiring, Obamacare, business valuation, B2B social media marketing, delivered by regional and national experts on six different topics; and finally,  

• EWA held its first ever Martini Celebration. Winners included Dean Ballew (center), Day Wireless; second place Andy Faith (right), Granite Electronics; and Catherine Leonard (left), Comtronics Corporation. 

Members are encouraged to contact EWA  with their comments and recommendations regarding the Alliance's services or newsletter content.