The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council has filed comments opposing a petition for reconsideration filed by the Telecommunications Industry Association asking the FCC to reconsider a provision in a report and order it released in October concerning its 700 megahertz 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).

Motorola Solutions, Inc., recently filed comments in support of the petition (TRDaily, Feb. 12).  But in a filing yesterday in PS docket 13-87, NPSTC opposed it.

“NPSTC strongly supports both the P25 standard and the P25 CAP certification program. From a NPSTC perspective, 700 MHz P25 products sold and delivered should be required to meet the P25 CAP certification,” the federation said. “As noted in the TIA Petition, the P25 standard has provided significant improvements in interoperability. However, without independent certification that 700 MHz P25 products actually meet the P25 standard and can interoperate with other P25 devices, communications interoperability could suffer. That of course would be detrimental to public safety and the public it strives to protect and serve.”

NPSTC added, “To the extent that the timing of FCC equipment type-acceptance is incompatible with the P25 CAP certification requirements as TIA and Motorola Solutions [indicate], NPSTC recommends the Commission modify the rules so that any radio designed to operate on the 700 MHz narrowband interoperability channels be mandated to meet CAP compliance certification prior to sale and delivery from manufacturers to distributors or to public safety entities.” – Paul Kirby, paul.kirby@wolterskluwer.com

Courtesy TRDaily