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The FCC’s Mandatory “Narrowbanding” Schedules

The FCC’s Mandatory “Narrowbanding” Schedules. Spectrum Management 2005 National Spectrum Managers Association May 24, 2005 Katherine C. Lucas, Esq. Keller and Heckman LLP 1001 G Street, NW Suite 500W Washington, DC 20001 202-434-4100 / lucas@khlaw.com. Policy Trends…

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The FCC’s Mandatory “Narrowbanding” Schedules

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  1. The FCC’s Mandatory “Narrowbanding” Schedules Spectrum Management 2005 National Spectrum Managers Association May 24, 2005 Katherine C. Lucas, Esq. Keller and Heckman LLP 1001 G Street, NW Suite 500W Washington, DC 20001 202-434-4100 / lucas@khlaw.com

  2. Policy Trends… • Spectrum Policy Task Force • Spectrum Efficiency • Market-based Approach • Geographic Area Licensing/Competitive Bidding

  3. Overview The FCC’s Narrowbanding Efforts: • Private Land Mobile Radio • Shared Federal Government Bands • 700 MHz Public Safety Band

  4. Private Land Mobile Radio Mandatory Narrowband Conversion (WT Docket No. 99-87)

  5. PLMR Narrowband Migration Background: Refarming • Objective: More assignable channels • Means: Create a narrowband channel plan • June 1995 • Implementation: • “Soft” equipment conversion dates • 12.5 kHz: August 1, 1996 • 6.25 kHz: January 1, 2005

  6. PLMR Narrowband Migration Who is impacted? • Part 90 Licensees • Public Safety and Non-Public Safety • PLMR Bands • 150-174 MHz and 421-512 MHz

  7. PLMR Narrowband Migration • November 2000: NPRM • “Date certain” transition to narrowband equipment requested • What timetable is appropriate? • February 2003: • Mandatory migration schedule established • December 2004: • Revised schedule established

  8. PLMR Narrowband Migration Timetable • Final Conversion Date: January 1, 2013 • Interim Deadline: January 1, 2011 • No applications for new 25 kHz systems or modifications that expand an existing 25 kHz system • Manufacture and importation of equipment operating with 25 kHz bandwidth is prohibited

  9. PLMR Narrowband Migration Narrowband Equivalent Standard • A technology that achieves the narrowband equivalent of one channel per 12.5 kHz of channel bandwidth (voice) or 4800 bits per second per 6.25 kHz (data) if the bandwidth specified is greater than 12.5 kHz per channel Paging-Only Channels • Exempted from the narrowbanding requirements

  10. PLMR Narrowband Migration 6.25 kHz Conversion Deadline?? • Commenters unanimously agreed: • It is too early to set a deadline for conversion to 6.25 kHz • FCC should wait and see how issues are resolved with 12.5 kHz conversion

  11. PLMR Narrowband Migration Open Issue… Manufacturers’ Petition to Defer • 6.25 kHz capability requirement for certification of new equipment • Lack of industry standards for 6.25 kHz • FCC stays January 1, 2005 Deadline

  12. Private Land Mobile Radio Channels Allocated for Federal Government Use (ET Docket No. 04-243)

  13. Shared Federal/Non-Federal Bands Background • March 2005: FCC’s rules revised • Designed to more closely mirror the NTIA’s timetable for the Federal bands

  14. Shared Federal/Non-Federal Bands Who is impacted? • Non-Federal Users operating in the shared Federal Government Bands • Which bands? • 150.05-150.8 MHz, 162-174 MHz and 406.1-420 MHz

  15. Shared Federal/Non-Federal Bands PLMR Channels Being Narrowbanded • Meteorological/Hydro Channels • 169.425, 169.450, 169.475, 169.500, 169.525, 170.225, 170.250, 170.275, 170.300, 170.325, 171.025, 171.050, 171.075, 171.100, 171.125, 171.825, 171.850, 171.875, 171.900, 171.925, 406.125, 406.175, 412.675, 412.725, 412.775 • Forest Firefighting and Conservation • 170.425, 170.475, 170.575, 171.425, 171.475, 171.575 172.225, 172.275, 172.375 • Public Safety • 166.250, 170.150 • MED Channels • 150.775, 150.790, 163.250 • SVRS • 173.075

  16. Shared Federal/Non-Federal Bands Timetable: Primary Operations • MED Channels 150.775 and 150.790 MHz • New wideband until Jan. 1, 2008 • May be expanded until Jan. 1, 2011 • Wideband transmissions must cease by Jan. 1, 2013 • MED Channel 163.250 MHz • No new wideband systems • Existing stations may be expanded until Jan. 1, 2013 • Wideband operations must cease by Jan. 1, 2013 • No new operations on the MED Channels 150.7825 and 150.7975 MHz • Existing licenses will be renewed indefinitely • Existing SVRS Channels operated by police and LoJack may continue to employ wideband for 14 years • New systems must operate using narrowband

  17. Shared Federal/Non-Federal Bands Timetable: Secondary Operations • Revised the FCC’s Hydro Channel Plan • Added 23 channels • Deleted 6 channels • Include channels in the 406.1-420 MHz in the transition to 12.5 kHz • No new applications for wideband stations in the 162-174 MHz • Applies to channels where operations are permitted on a secondary basis • Includes Hydro, Forest Firefighting and Public Safety channels • New wideband Hydro stations (406.1-420 MHz band) authorized on secondary basis until January 1, 2008 • Existing wideband systems (162-174 MHz band) the operate on a secondary basis may be expanded until January 1, 2011 • Wideband operations must cease by January 1, 2013 • Existing wideband Hydro systems (406.1-420 MHz band) may be expanded until January 1, 2011 • Wideband operations must cease by January 1, 2013

  18. Meeting Federal, State and Local Public Safety Agency Communication Requirements Through the Year 2010 (WT Docket No. 96-86)

  19. 700 MHz Public Safety Background • Transition to Digital TV • Made 24 MHz available for Public Safety use • DTV transition targeted for December 31, 2006 • Public Safety band designated for: • General Use • Interoperability • State License • Low Power • Secondary Trunking • Reserve

  20. 700 MHz Public Safety Who is impacted? • 700 MHz Public Safety Band • 764-776 MHz and 794-806 MHz • General Use and State Licenses • General Use • Administered by Regional Planning Committees • State License • Statewide geographic area license

  21. 700 MHz Public Safety General Use Migration Plan: Safe Harbor • Implement a one voice channel per 6.25 kHz requirement for General Use • Safe Harbor: December 31, 2005

  22. 700 MHz Public Safety Timetable • Final Deadline: December 31, 2016 • Interim Deadline: December 31, 2014 • No applications for new systems using 12.5 kHz bandwidth after this date • Manufacture, marketing and importation of equipment is prohibited

  23. 700 MHz Public Safety Why was the timetable revised? • Equipment reliability: • 6.25 kHz equipment not widely available • Safety Issue: Field testing required • Budget concerns provide incentive to voluntarily transition over the next 7 years • Don’t want to jeopardize safety to satisfy bandwidth requirement

  24. 700 MHz Public Safety Transition: How will it work? • By January 31, 2007: • WTB will release PN listing all General Use/State Licensees authorized for 12.5 kHz channels • Licensees must notify when system is using 6.25 kHz exclusively • Must be filed no later than January 31, 2017 • Subject to enforcement action/penalties for misrepresenting system use

  25. Thank you! For a copy of the presentation: E-mail me at lucas@khlaw.com

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