FCC Actions and D Block Comments Continued

3. 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. 10-1229). (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-10-1229A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-1229A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-1229A1.txt

4. The following is an update to House Resolution 5081, the bill to reallocate the 700 MHz D Block from the commercial auction as currently required under the Deficit Reduction Act of 1997 to public safety. A copy of the bill is attached. There are now thirty-five (“35”) co-sponsors in the House of Representatives for this legislation.

H.R.5081
Title: Broadband for First Responders Act of 2010
Sponsor: Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3] (introduced 4/20/2010) Cosponsors (35) Latest Major Action: 4/20/2010 Referred to House committee.
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

There remains a significant number of organizations that have differing viewpoints relative to this legislation. Yesterday, we shared a recent letter from the 4G Coalition requesting that the Commission auction the D Block as required under the current law. Conversely and as many of you know, the vast majority of public safety communications organizations support the D Block reallocation from the auction process to public safety. Like any federal, state, or local agency, the FCC is required to follow the law and unless Congress acts, the Deficit Reduction Act requires that the 700 D Block spectrum be auctioned by the Commission.

Our government is predicated upon the three words that form the fundamental basis of our Constitution and system of American government, “We the People”. Just like all of us have a civic responsibility to vote, it is also important for everyone in public safety, regardless of their position relative to the D Block or 700 MHz narrowband frequencies, to recognize the seriousness of this issue and contact their member of Congress. If the D Block auction goes forward, public safety will never again have prime access to 20 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum for broadband and 12 MHz for narrowband voice. Many believe that the D Block should be reallocated to public safety and that the 700 MHz narrowband voice frequencies not be amended to permit some flexible use. But again, regardless of your position, the Congress and FCC want to hear from individual licensees who can offer real world experiences supporting the need for spectrum or regulation.

The national public safety communications organizations such as NPSTC and APCO have made efforts to advocate on behalf of individual licensees. However, it is time for individual Part 90 licensees to weigh in with the Congress and Commission and share with them the importance of these issues. We believe that the FCC has amassed a tremendous record in docket WT 96-86 that more than adequately documents the need for the 700 MHz frequency band in public safety; particularly with respect to the nationwide interoperability and low power frequencies that are so critical to homeland security programs. Please become familiar with the issues and share the experiences of licensees with the Commission and Congress.

5. Fairfax County, VA has become the 29th entity to submit a waiver for 700 MHz broadband operations. The waivers submitted by Fairfax are attached.

http://www.rcc.com/blog/rcc-regulatoryactions/06-22906-29-2010FairfaxCountyVirginia1.pdf
http://www.rcc.com/blog/rcc-regulatoryactions/06-22906-29-2010FairfaxCountyVirginia2.pdf