NPSTC Expects Continuing Pressure From Industry on 4.9 GHz
The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council sees the 4.9 GHz band as under growing pressure for wireless broadband reallocation but will continue to stress the importance of the band for public safety, Don Root, chair of the group’s Spectrum Management Committee, said Thursday at a meeting. Michael Wilhelm, chief of the Public Safety Bureau Policy and Licensing Division, told NPSTC the FCC is weighing comments in its related proceeding.
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“We’ve received several very useful comments,” Wilhelm said, noting commenters touched on most issues teed up, including whether the band should be shared with commercial or critical infrastructure companies. “We’re analyzing the extensive record, including comments that NPSTC and APCO filed on our calculation of the penetration of 4.9 systems,” Wilhelm said. “We agree, tentatively, that some of these observations are very valuable.” The FCC “has some very important policy cuts to make before we have a final decision,” he said. “We’re working on it now.”
NPSTC has filed twice in the proceeding, including replies noting lack of carrier interest in the spectrum (see 1808070034), Root said. He noted that some commissioners have expressed an interest in reallocating the band. At a recent meeting in Las Vegas, APCO also urged the FCC to preserve these frequencies for public safety use (see 1808060033).
The FCC has found cases where public safety agencies are using interoperability channels for “routine, day-to-day” operations, Wilhelm said. On VHF and UHF channels, “routine communications are strictly secondary and they can’t interfere with interoperability communications,” Wilhelm said. “It just isn’t smart” to use interoperability channels for routine communications, he said. If the FCC finds routine use of 800 MHz mutual-aid channels, “the licensee is going to face enforcement action,” Wilhelm said.
Wilhelm sees “light at the end of that particular tunnel” for 800 MHz rebanding. “We’ve rebanded over 2,000 800 MHz systems and we’ve retuned or replaced over 1 million radios,” he said. “We’re close.” Two licenses remain to be retuned in the Mexican border region in New Mexico, 14 in California and 29 in Texas, he said. The rebanding has been ongoing since the FCC’s landmark 2004 order. “We’ve received excellent cooperation from the Mexican government,” he said.
Jeff Bratcher, FirstNet chief technology officer, noted the 150,000 connections from more than 2,500 agencies "show the expansion and success" and that "public safety is now using their network that they fought long and hard for.” FirstNet is “really excited” about leadership changes unveiled Wednesday (see 1809050052), he said. New Chairman Edward Horowitz was former chair of the board’s Finance Committee and “has extensive expertise in the private sector,” Bratcher said.
APCO CEO Derek Poarch called on carriers to move forward on steps that will promote better wireless 911 location accuracy. CTIA didn't comment, and carrier groups Wednesday unveiled their latest plans here (see 1809050054). “The carriers are stalling,” Poarch said. “They’ve taken advantage of our willingness to work with them.”