Give One Licensee 4.9 GHz Band Responsibility, PSSA Says
As the FCC looks at a nationwide approach to managing the 4.9 GHz band, it should maintain the overarching goal of protecting and preserving the spectrum for public safety use, the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance said Thursday in docket 07-100.…
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It said the commission, rather than sticking with local licensing, should issue a single nationwide overlay license to an entity with the expertise to deliver services to first responders. That licensee would establish an operational framework that enables full use of all 50 MHz of spectrum in the 4.9 GHz band by first responders while overseeing and doing dispute resolution regarding secondary usage and band operations, it said. The band must be operable with the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network, and existing point-to-point and geographic licenses should be converted to site-specific authorizations to operate for incumbents and limited to services in use by incumbents today. If the FCC allows aeronautical mobile use in the band, it should set parameters for a future band manager that would protect radio astronomy and it should restrict unmanned operations to public safety and critical infrastructure use, NTIA said. The 4.9 GHz band is a potential avenue to provide enhanced broadband communications services, features, and capabilities, plus 5G for public safety, FirstNet said. Any use of the spectrum for the National Public Safety Broadband Network would be for public safety on a primary basis, it said. The International Association of Fire Chiefs backed a single national band manager, with the selection committee including representation from fire and emergency medical services, law enforcement, 911 dispatch centers and other public safety answering points, public safety technology development, spectrum management professionals and communications industry and other broadband stakeholders.