FCC Emergency Response Interoperability Center and Sprint Nextel Petition for Waiver

1. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION TO HOLD PUBLIC FORUM ON PROPOSAL TO CREATE AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE INTEROPERABILITY CENTER

Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) today announced it will hold a public forum to discuss the creation of an emergency response interoperability center for public safety broadband communications on Wednesday, February 10, 2010, from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. in the Commission Meeting Room (TW-C305).

The Bureau is holding this public forum in response to public comments the Commission received as part of the National Broadband Plan proceedings which identified the need for enhanced coordination and cooperation among public safety entities to achieve broadband interoperability and operability. The forum will examine ways in which this could be achieved, including the creation of an emergency response interoperability center to develop common standards and to provide interoperability and operating procedures for the public safety licensee authorized to construct, operate and use the nationwide wireless broadband network.

The forum will solicit ideas and comments from interested parties on these topics. Discussions will focus on how the interoperability center should be structured, what its role should be and how it can accomplish critical tasks such as establishing a public safety interoperability profile, interoperability standards, authentication, encryption, roaming, priority access, application uses and interconnectivity. The forum will also focus on the role an emergency response interoperability center would play in establishing a national framework for gateway functionality and interface capabilities, as well as a national framework for interconnectivity and compatibility of user networks.

The forum will also address how an interoperability center could help in resolving interoperability-related disputes between public safety entities, establishing standards for commercial providers to expand public safety’s access to broadband services across the nation, and ensuring that grant funds are utilized efficiently.

The forum will be open to the public; admittance however will be limited to the seating available. Those individuals who are interested in attending the forum may pre-register on-line at http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/event-registration.html. Those who pre-register will be asked to provide their name, title, organization affiliation, and contact information. Individuals may also contact Deandrea Wilson at 202-418-0703 regarding pre-registration. The deadline for pre-registration is Monday, February 8, 2010.

Audio/Video coverage of the meeting will be broadcast live with open captioning over the Internet from the FCC's web page at www.fcc.gov/realaudio. The FCC’s web cast is free to the public and does not require pre-registration.

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities are available upon request. Please include a description of the accommodation you will need. Individuals making such requests must include their contact information should FCC staff need to contact them for more information. Requests should be made as early as possible. Please send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau: 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY).

For additional information about the meeting, please contact Susan McLean at (202) 418-7868 or by email: susan.mclean@fcc.gov.

2. Sprint Nextel has petitioned the Commission to waive its rules and permit the carrier to continue operations in the interleaved band in certain areas beyond March 31, 2010. The Sprint-Nextel petition is attached.