FCC Should Further Liberalize Cellular Service Rules Only if It First Protects Public Safety, APCO Says
The FCC should further loosen its cellular service rules only if it acts to protect public safety channels from interference, APCO said in reply comments in docket 12-40, which were due at the FCC Friday. The reply comments were in response to a November further NPRM released by the FCC, attached to an order that made what the agency said were “fundamental, sweeping reforms” to the rules (see 1411120015). Industry commenters backed further changes consistent with proposals in the notice.
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APCO reminded the FCC that it already had to address interference issues caused by Nextel 11 years ago in the 800 MHz band. The landmark 2004 800 MHz rebanding order launched a process that is still not complete. Hundreds of public safety agencies across the U.S. had to retool their systems, APCO said. “While Sprint Nextel paid most of the expenses of that rebanding, it was (and in some areas continues to be) a major drain on scarce public safety agency resources and personnel, who were often forced to divert attention away from critical communications projects to oversee the difficult and sometimes contentious rebanding process.”
The FCC shouldn't flirt with similar problems a second time, APCO argued. “The Commission must take every reasonable step to ensure 800 MHz public safety systems are not once again exposed to sources of dangerous interference.” APCO supported power spectral density (PSD) limits to help control ground-level signal levels in the vicinity of cellular transmitter sites and rules requiring that the power flux density (PFD) not be exceeded at any ground level location within a one-kilometer-radius of a site.
APCO said PFD limits “should not be the end of the story” and if there is any interference to public safety operations, carriers must be held responsible for addressing it. Investigating and resolving interference problems could otherwise be “a major drain on public safety agencies’ time and resources,” APCO said.
Verizon said the FCC should set the same PSD and PFD limits for cellular already adopted for the nearby upper 700 MHz band. The carrier weighed in against an FCC proposal to require frequency coordinator review of cellular applications. The revised cellular rules “will enable licensees to provide more robust coverage, particularly in rural areas and inside buildings, and thus make the most effective and efficient use of cellular spectrum, while also protecting devices operating in adjacent bands from harmful interference,” Verizon said.
AT&T urged the FCC to adopt the PSD limits it has proposed -- 250 W/MHz in nonrural areas and 500 W/MHz in rural areas. AT&T agreed with Verizon that coordination isn't necessary.
CTIA raised particular objections to the proposed requirement of frequency coordination in the 800 MHz band. “The use of frequency coordinators could unduly burden Cellular licensees if such a requirement is immediately placed on Cellular licensees,” the group said. “The Commission should proceed cautiously, after evaluating the impact of the new Cellular licensing rules, before creating a new frequency coordination scheme.”
The Enterprise Wireless Alliance said it's interested in being a frequency coordinator if the rules require one. PCIA made a similar offer in its comments.