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July 16, 2015
Volume 9, Issue 13
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EWA Submits 900 MHz PEBB Reply Comments
The Enterprise Wireless Alliance (EWA), jointly with Pacific DataVision (PDV), earlier this week filed Reply Comments regarding proposed rules that would govern the 900 MHz band realignment and subsequent Private Enterprise Broadband (PEBB) and B/ILT narrowband operations. This is a necessary part of the regulatory effort... Read more. |
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EWA Responds to SNG Petition
On June 30, Spectrum Network Group LLC (SNG) filed a Petition for Orders to Show Cause urging the FCC to investigate the eligibility for 900 MHz B/ILT frequencies of 19 licensees, some of whose licenses were... Read more. |
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Interference Resolution Process Could Use Assistance
On July 13, EWA filed brief comments in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic (TLPC) in which they asked the FCC to allow private parties to have interference complaints adjudicated by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) in order to institute a timely and transparent resolution process. Further, TLPC suggests that adding deadlines to the adjudication process may hasten resolution. In its comments, EWA agreed that, given the increasing use of spectrum and the impending reduction of force in the FCC Enforcement Bureau, adding an interference option may be prudent. However, EWA does not believe that the option proposed by TLPC may be the optimum solution given the resource limitations of the ALJ’s offices. |
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EWA Plans to Respond to PS Request for B/ILT Channels in Denver
As reported in the last issue of Insider, the FCC released a Public Notice seeking comment on an application and waiver filed by the City and County of Denver, which seek to license channels in the 800 MHz Business/Industrial/Land Transportation (B/ILT) category. What strikes EWA as alarming in the waiver request, is the statement that “there are no public safety frequencies available” for this applicant. While that may be the case at 800 MHz, that generalization is certainly not defensible. |
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FCC Denies Smartcomm Complaints
On July 10, the FCC issued an Order and Order on Reconsideration denying complaints filed by Smartcomm alleging non-construction of certain 800 MHz Specialized Mobile Radio Pool licenses affiliated with RapidLink. Noting that the burden of proof is on the party making such allegations, the FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau found that in some cases the responses of the licensees refuted Smartcomm’s claims and in others Smartcomm “offers speculation and conjecture rather than evidence.” |
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M2M Files Petition for Rulemaking for 900 MHz Service
Simultaneously with SNG’s Petition, M2M took the FCC’s advice when the Commission denied its waiver request and filed a Petition for Rulemaking proposing to allow licensees for 900 MHz B/ILT channels to provide commercial service to B/ILT entities without having to establish independent, internal eligibility for the spectrum. It is anticipated that the FCC will release a Public Notice seeking industry comment on the merits of this request in the near future. |
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FCC Claims Reforms Improve Service
In a blog post dated July 13, FCC Special Counsel Diane Cornell outlined some results of recent reforms at the FCC to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations. The reforms were born of the Process Reform Report, released in 2014, which made 154 recommendations for improvement. Areas reported on in the blog post include:
- Reworking the website FCC.gov to improve navigation and search (ongoing project);
- The move to electronic filing and distribution of licenses;
- A planned update of the Electronic Comment Filing Systems, scheduled for release this summer; and
- Each FCC Bureau has developed a plan to reduce backlogs, including the Enforcement Bureau.
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FCC’s O’Rielly Argues for Sunsets to Rules and Policies
In a blog post dated July 10, Commissioner O’Rielly continued his criticism of FCC procedures and policies. This time, he turned his attention to rules that, when outdated, place an unfair burden on the companies that must comply. To rectify this, he suggests including a sunset policy which would force the Commission to evaluate previously adopted rules. |
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UTC Supports VRS with Conditions
In an Ex Parte filing dated July 7; the Utilities Telecom Council indicated its support of the use of Vehicular Repeater Systems (VRS) on the six 173 MHz telemetry channels under certain conditions:
- Only FCC-certified Part 90 Frequency Advisory Committees coordinate the applications;
- VRS operations be authorized on a secondary basis for statewide systems and on a co-primary basis for local systems; and
- That data telemetry systems be permitted to operate in bandwidths up to 12.5 kHz.
EWA agrees with these recommendations. |
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Salt River to Acquire License in 700 MHz for Fixed and Mobile Data
Salt River Project (SRP) has entered an agreement with Access Spectrum LLC (ASL) to acquire a license in the Upper 700 MHz A Block. SRP intends to use the spectrum to create a private network for a number of fixed and mobile data solutions. According to SRP Director of Telecommunications Systems Chris Campbell, “We have a variety of mission-critical application needs through our water and power service territory, so capable, reliable and secure last-mile communications will be an important foundation of our success. The challenge for utilities is that there are not many options available to support private networks, so acquiring the rights to the 700 MHz A Block is a big step forward that provides certainty for our future.”
SRP is a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility and the largest provider of electricity in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, serving more than 1 million customers. Access Spectrum holds 28 of the 52 licenses in the Upper 700 MHz A Block covering about one-half of the United States. ASL will sub-divide their licenses to cover specific geographies. |
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