Highlights from FCC Presentation, PSCR, and Governing Board Actions: The circulation to FCC Commissioners of a further notice of proposed rulemaking in the agency’s 4.9 gigahertz band proceeding is expected before the end of the year, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Deputy Chief David Furth told the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) today.
Mr. Furth said during the meeting, which was held via teleconference, that the further notice would seek comment on specific band plan proposals, including one submitted by NPSTC in 2013 (TRDaily, Oct. 24, 2013). Mr. Furth also noted that another proposed filing is currently before the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International’s executive committee and is expected to be submitted in the next couple of weeks.
Mr. Furth urged public safety entities to submit any updated information for the proceeding soon as he said officials want to “keep to our timing” of submitting a draft further notice to Commissioners by the end of the year.
In 2012, FCC Commissioners, saying they were disappointed that the public safety community hadn’t used the 4.9 GHz band more intensively, adopted an item seeking views on proposals to spur higher utilization of the spectrum, including by opening the band up to wireless carriers on a secondary basis and critical infrastructure industry (CII) entities such as utilities on a primary basis (TRDaily, June 13, 2012). The Commissioners adopted a fourth report and order and fifth further notice.
Also, “in the next few of months,” the Public Safety Bureau plans to present a draft order concerning 800 megahertz NPSPAC emission mask issues. The FCC adopted an NPRM in that proceeding in 2013 to tighten the emission mask applicable to equipment in the NPSPAC band and to require that mobile and portable radios be capable of analog emissions on certain channels (TRDaily, Aug. 27, 2013).
Mr. Furth said staffers are preparing an item to address a petition for reconsideration filed by the Telecommunications Industry Association asking the FCC to reconsider a provision in a report and order it released last year concerning its 700 MHz band narrowband rules (TRDaily, Oct. 24, 2014). In its petition, TIA asked the FCC to “amend the Order to reflect that at the time a manufacturer submits a device for type approval it may not yet be feasible or possible to have completed yet all the requirements for Project 25 Compliance Assessment Program (P25 CAP) certification” (TRDaily, Jan. 5).
Mr. Furth also said that the pleading cycle on a notice of proposed rulemaking released recently (TRDaily, Sept. 1) concerning the use of public safety interoperability and mutual aid channels by railroad police should be established in the next week or two with the publication of the item in the “Federal Register.”
He also indicated that FCC officials are working with Mexican regulators to establish a process to unblock 800 MHz band frequencies used by Mexican incumbents so rebanding can proceed in the U.S.-Mexico region. “We have made some progress there,” he said.
Mr. Furth also mentioned a U.S. working group to protect U.S. licensees from interference along the border with Mexico if that country goes ahead with its plan to follow the Asia-Pacific 700 MHz band plan.
As for the 800 MHz band interstitial channel rulemaking, Mr. Furth said staff is working on a draft order for the FCC. He noted that the Land Mobile Communications Council has proposed interference contours.
Mr. Furth also said that the FCC is working closely with FirstNet, including on the relocation of the 15 narrowband incumbent licensees that are operating in FirstNet’s spectrum. He expressed confidence that there will be “a timely and smooth transition for the remaining licensees.”
The NPSTC board took action on several matters at today’s meeting.
For example, it voted to create three new working groups of the Technology and Broadband Committee. They will deal with broadband emerging technologies, land mobile radio to LTE migration, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The board also voted to close the priority/quality of service working group.
Also under the Technology and Broadband Committee, a local control working group report is in editorial review, while a report from another working group on broadband deployable systems will be the subject of a three-day meeting in Colorado later this month, with the goal of completing a report by the end of this year, according to NPSTC Deputy Executive Director Barry Luke.
The board also approved a report, with edits, by a 700 MHz band deployable trunked systems task force of the Interoperability Committee. The task force is a joint project between NPSTC and the National Regional Planning Council (NRPC). The NRPC must still approve the report, which will then be submitted to the FCC.
Meanwhile, a final report on emergency medical services telemedicine issues is expected to be ready for NPSTC board approval in the fourth quarter of this year, according to Paul Patrick, chair of the EMS working group and NPSTC’s second vice chair. The working group is also under the Interoperability Committee.
Dereck Orr, division chief of the Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) program, touted the fact that its Boulder, Colo., lab was able to complete a proof of concept of local public safety control through an open standards-based interface.
He also noted the completion of a road map for spending the first batch of public safety research and development funds that the National Institute of Standards and Technology will get from AWS (advanced wireless services)-3 auction proceeds. He said the first $100 million of the $300 million total will be available Oct. 1.
The first road map calls for research to focus on location-based services for public safety entities, Mr. Orr noted. A two-day summit is scheduled for next month to flesh out ideas for location-based services projects, he said.
Kevin McGinnis, a member of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) board, noted that FirstNet has completed 50 initial state consultations with a couple more scheduled for this month. He also noted that work continues on the final request for proposals (RFP), which FirstNet plans to release by the end of the year.
The next meetings of the NPSTC are scheduled for Nov. 10 (a teleconference from 1-3 p.m. eastern time); Jan. 21, 2016, (a teleconference from 1-3 p.m.); and March 21, 2016, (8:30-5 p.m. pacific time in conjunction with the IWCE show in Las Vegas). – Paul Kirby, paul.kirby@wolterskluwer.com