FCC MOVES TO EASE COMMUNICATIONS AMONG PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES
FCC took steps at its meeting Thurs. to make it easier for public safety agencies to communicate with one another on emergency scenes, including setting rules for interoperability channels in 700 MHz public safety band. In unanimously approved report and order, agency adopted standard for interoperability channels as recommended by Public Safety National Coordination Committee (NCC) chaired by Kathleen Wallman. For general use channels in 24 MHz designated for public safety in 700 MHz band, FCC adopted notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comments on migration path to more efficient standard. But to encourage early use of 700 MHz, some of which still is occupied by analog broadcasters, order indicated Commission wouldn’t mandate use of that more efficient technology before 2006.
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“It’s just vitally important that we resolve this problem,” FCC Chmn. Kennard said, referring to problems that public safety agencies have had in talking with one another with incompatible systems. Case in point cited by Kennard and others were communications snafus involving different emergency service agencies on scene at Oklahoma City bombing, although such problems have emerged in other disasters as well. Comr. Ness said item “goes a long way to solve interoperability problems.” She said item addressed key issues of interoperability, efficient spectrum use, overburdening of public safety community, promotion of competition in public safety equipment.
Order, which received immediate praise from public safety community, adopts NCC technical standard, called Project 25 Phase I, for voice communications on 700 MHz interoperability channels. Those channels have been set aside to allow different public safety agencies to talk with each other. Order also adopts standard that’s part of Project 25 for data communications on interoperability channels. FCC said such communications would let public safety agencies send status messages or short e-mails. Wireless Bureau attorney Michael Connelly said end-user equipment can be single purpose, meaning data-only applications need not be voice capable, and vice versa. Project 25 Phase I standards have received “overwhelming support” for interoperability channels. Because of concern it would be “premature” to set standard of one voice path per 6.25 kHz on those channels, no decisions were made in order, Connelly said. “We plan to revisit this issue no later than 2005,” he said.
NCC recommendations included use of Project 25 Phase I standard, which uses 12.5 kHz frequency division multiple access (FDMA) and 32 interoperability channels, including 2 nationwide calling channels and 30 tactical channels. NCC report issued last year emphasized need to focus on transition plan to reach 6.25 kHz FDMA-based channels from 12.5 kHz FDMA standard. One voice path per 6.25 kHz is seen as more efficient because it compresses voice communications into smaller slice of spectrum. NPRM solicited feedback on proper migration path to 6.25 kHz efficiency standard for general use channels that use 12.5 kHz-based systems. To bolster use of public safety spectrum, order said “earliest date” at which 6.25 kHz technology would be required would be Dec. 31, 2005. Order also concluded: (1) Any 12.5 kHz-based systems that begin operating before Dec. 31, 2005, could continue to deploy that equipment for expansion and maintenance. (2) 12.5 kHz systems that begin operating before that date won’t face mandate to convert to 6.25 kHz before Dec. 31, 2015, “at the earliest.” Any migration path decisions that agency makes will ensure that newer equipment would have to be backward-compatible with 12.5 kHz systems. Point is that in meantime, public safety agencies could be allowed to begin to build in that band, Connelly said.
Assn. of Public-Safety Communications Officials International (APCO) praised Commission’s moves as setting standard so manufacturers could develop public safety equipment for band. APCO said part of 700 MHz band for public safety was being used now by analog TV stations, which face transition to DTV by 2006. Specifically, TV stations on Ch. 63, 64, 68 and 69 in certain geographic areas are using public safety band, APCO said. APCO Pres. Lyle Gallagher said “today’s action regarding the interoperability standard will open the door for near-term public safety operations in other areas of the nation, where the relevant television channels are already vacant.”
Policy goal is to eventually have all general use systems operating at 6.25 kHz, target that isn’t attainable now because there’s “little, if any, equipment available to do that,” said Washington attorney Robert Gurss, counsel for APCO. Because eventual migration toward one voice path per 6.25 kHz isn’t clear now, Commission apparently wanted to provide assurance to public safety agencies that there wouldn’t be requirements for new equipment before Dec. 31, 2005, Gurss said. “It was important to get it done now, not to wait until some future technology comes along,” he said. “The advantage of this standard is that it provides immediate use and it’s a stepping stone to these future technologies.”