Important Information for Public Safety Communications

1. Urgent Communications has published an article reporting that FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell testified before Congress stating “Keep in mind that Congress, in 1997 — well before 2001, Sept. 11 — set aside 24 MHz of the 700 MHz block,” he said. “That is wonderful spectrum that should be used for something other than narrowband voice.”

This issue is of critical importance to current and future public safety licensees of the 700 MHz band. To read the full article, please click on:

http://urgentcomm.com/policy_and_law/commentary/mcdowell-narrowband-questions-20100330/

2. Representatives from the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau made presentations today discussing how the National Broadband Plan addresses the following issues:

· Deployment of a nationwide interoperable public safety wireless broadband network
· Innovation in the development and deployment of Next Generation 911 networks and emergency alerting systems; and
· Cyber security and critical infrastructure survivability.

The panelists indicated that a number of Notices of Inquiry will be released in the near future seeking public comments on critical issues within the Plan. Public safety should review the Commission’s notices, when released, and provide feedback.

To view a replay of the 3/31/2010 meeting, which lasts about an hour, please click on http://reboot.fcc.gov/video-archives

3. The Commission, in response to a Petition from Sprint-Nextel, has extended the authority of Sprint-Nextel to operate in the Interleaved 800 MHz spectrum (mid-band) in twenty-one (“21”) of the Regional Planning Committees from March 31, 2010 until March 31, 2011. The Commission also imposed certain new restrictions on Sprint-Nextel’s use of the Interleaved spectrum.

IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS IN THE 800 MHZ BAND RELINQUISHMENT BY SPRINT NEXTEL OF CHANNELS IN THE INTERLEAVED, EXPANSION, AND GUARD BANDS. Denied Smartcomm's Motion and Dismissed its Opposition. Dismissed the letter filed by Concepts to Operations, which was late-filed and does not reflect that it was served on Sprint. Action by: Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. Adopted: 03/31/2010 by ORDER. (DA No. 10-576). PSHSB http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-576A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-576A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-576A1.txt

4. Released: 03/31/2010. PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU EXTENDS 800 MHZ REBANDING NEGOTIATION PERIOD FOR WAVE 4 BORDER AREA NPSPAC AND NON-NPSPAC LICENSEES ALONG THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER. (DA No. 10-573). (Dkt No 02-55 ). PSHSB . Contact: Roberto Mussenden at (202) 418-1428, email: Roberto.Mussenden@fcc.gov or Brian Marenco at (202) 418-0838, email: Brian.Marenco@fcc.gov
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-573A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-573A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-573A1.txt

5. IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS IN THE 800 MHZ BAND SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS FOR WAIVER OF JUNE 26, 2008 REBANDING DEADLINE. Granted in
part, or held in abeyance requests for waiver of the June 26, 2008, deadline submitted by the licensees listed in Appendix A of this order. Action by: Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. Adopted: 03/31/2010 by ORDER. (DA No. 10-574). PSHSB
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-574A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-574A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-574A1.txt

6. The 800 MHz Transition Administrator, LLC (“TA”) provides its Quarterly Progress Report to the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) regarding the progress of the reconfiguration of the 800 MHz band for the quarter ended December 31, 2009. The Report of the T/A is attached.

4Q2009.pdf