Subject: [NEXTEL-1] ITA-Regulatory Headlines

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2002 02:55:23 -0500

Regulatory Headlines

Public Safety Pool Coordination Competition
The Commission is soliciting comments on a request by APCO to allow for competition of
frequency coordination services in the public safety pool for frequencies below 470 MHz.

On December 5, 2002, ITA filed comments in response to the NPRM, stating it is in the
public interest to increase competition among all frequency coordinators. Public safety
applicants should be able to go to an industrial business coordinator for a public safety
channel, and vice versa. ITA also noted similarities between industrial business systems
and public safety systems. Business and public safety coordinators are already sharing
information regularly, making coordination in both pools a continuation of work already
being performed.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Systems
On October 15, 2001, the Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking to
relocate RFID systems to the 425-435 MHz band with increased power levels and increased
duty factors. One year later, NTIA sent a letter to the Commission suggesting moving the
RFID devices to the 450-470 MHz band due to the possibility of interference these devices
may cause to military operations in the 425-435 MHz band.

On December 12, 2002, ITA sent a letter to the Commission stating public safety and
private wireless operations in the 450-470 MHZ band provide important safety-of-life
operations, and much like the military, should be afforded interference-free operations.
Furthermore, ITA noted that adding a new service to the already overcrowded band might
have negative effects on incumbents and/or RFID systems. Additionally, ITA suggested NTIA
perform a study on the effects of adding RFID operations to the 450-470 MHz band (or any
other possible locations) before a decision is made.

Auction of Lower 700 MHz Band Licenses
On December 2, 2002, the Commission released a Public Notice announcing that Auction No.
49, for a small portion of the lower 700 MHz band (710-716/740-746 MHz), will begin on
April 16, 2003. The eligibility to bid on the auction is open to everyone, but only select
regions will be auctioned off.

The 12-megahertz block of paired spectrum includes 251 licenses allocated by geographic
service areas, in a variety of markets. The spectrum will be available for fixed, mobile
and broadcast services, for commercial or private use. Geographic partitioning and
spectrum disaggregation will also be allowed.

Spectrum Policy Task Force Report
On November 15, 2002, the Spectrum Policy Task Force, which was created by Chairman Powell
earlier this year to review spectrum policy, released its suggestions in a detailed
report.

The theme throughout the report was that the Commission should move towards more flexible,
market-oriented policies. This would be accomplished by moving away from the current
policy model of “command and control” and focus more on the “exclusive use” model as well
as the “commons” model.

Spectral efficiency was also an important theme; noting that the perceived shortage of
spectrum is due mainly to inefficient use. One suggestion given to improve efficiency is
by using a new metric, “interference temperature” to quantify and manage interference by
establishing a maximum level of the noise environment on a band-by-band basis. The Task
Force also found access to spectrum would increase through the use of new technologies
that would allow the Commission to consider time as well as frequency, space and power as
ways to allocate spectrum.

800 MHz Proceeding
The joint commenters of the Consensus Plan had hoped to file the supplemental filing by
now, but were unable due to some outside circumstances, the holidays being the major
delay. The comments should be filed at anytime.

The filing includes a plan for the border regions, funding for private wireless licensees,
and procedures for addressing incidents of interference post re-banding, as well as timing
and logistics.

Construction and Operation Audit
On August 15, 2001, the Commission began an audit of the constructional and operational
status of Private Land Mobile Radio (PLMR) stations on frequencies below 800 MHz by
sending letters to license holders in the land mobile bands below 470 MHz. The Commission
just completed a second round of letters with 53% of license holders responding.

If you received a letter, it is important to respond, indicating whether or not your
stations are constructed and operational in accordance with your license. Those who do not
respond risk losing their license. If you want to check if you should have gotten a letter
or if you want to confirm the Commission received your response, please click on the
following link: http://wireless.fcc.gov/plmrs/audit.html.

Last Updated: 12-20--2002
http://www.ita-relay.com/advocacy.htm

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