Outreach News - 2/11/2011

1. Information on 700 MHz and the D Block.

King, Thompson Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Reallocate D Block Communications Spectrum to Public Safety

King: “This legislation is exactly what America’s first responders have long advocated, so I welcome President Obama’s support”

Washington, D.C. (Thursday, February 10, 2011) – Today, ¬U.S. Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, joined by Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and 5 others, introduced H.R. 607, the “Broadband for First Responders Act of 2011,” legislation that will strengthen the communications capabilities of America’s first responders by reallocating the D Block communications spectrum to public safety.

Last year, in the 111th Congress, King introduced similar legislation to ensure the development of a national interoperable public safety wireless broadband network. Today, President Obama personally called for the reallocation of the D Block to public safety.

King said: “This legislation is exactly what America’s first responders have long advocated, so I welcome President Obama’s support. Allocation of the D Block to public safety will ensure that our Nation’s first responders have sufficient spectrum to develop a wireless broadband network. Public safety officials must have access to new technologies to perform increasingly complex duties. These technologies must have adequate and dedicated spectrum that is managed and controlled by public safety to ensure that the technologies will be more secure and reliable than those in commercial systems.”

Thompson said: “Today marks an important moment in our decade-long effort at providing first responders—in every corner of the nation—with interoperable communications. A unified vision for how to achieve this elusive capability has finally emerged. As a former volunteer firefighter, I take great pride in the role that this Committee has played in amplifying the voices of the first responder community. Our efforts have secured, for the first time, Administration support for investing significant resources towards ensuring that a nationwide network is built out. The legislation that I am introducing today with Chairman King will help ensure that those resources are there.”‪‪‪

The Broadband for First Responders Act is comprehensive, addressing not only spectrum allocation, but also funding for the construction of a public safety network, and governance. Funding for the construction of the network will come from auction of globally homogenized Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum. Under this legislation, there will be a single licensee for the full 20 MHz of public safety broadband spectrum.

Original co-sponsors, in addition to Ranking Member Thompson, include Homeland Security Committee Members Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI), Rep. Billy Long (R-MO), and Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), as well as Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY).

The legislation is supported by the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Council of State Governments, the National Association of Counties, the National League of Cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the International City/County Management Association, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Fire Fighters, the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, the National Emergency Management Association, the National Sheriffs' Association, the Major County Sheriffs' Association, the National Troopers Coalition, and the National Criminal Justice Association.

Connect with the Committee: http://www.homeland.house.gov/

The text of H.R. 607 is not available yet. When it is published, it will be distributed via Outreach News.

2. Additional links to articles on this topic.

http://www.policechiefonline.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&issue_id=22011&category_ID=2

http://www.policeone.com/communications/articles/3326413-Obama-announces-support-for-D-Block-allocation-to-public-safety/

3. PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON CONTINUED USE OF THE FORMER 800 MHZ NPSPAC MUTUAL AID CHANNELS IN THE CANADA/U.S. BORDER AREAS. (DA No. 11-274). (Dkt No 02-55 ). Comments Due: 03/14/2011. Reply Comments Due: 03/29/2011. PSHSB . Contact: Brian Marenco at (202) 418-0838, email: Brian.Marenco@fcc.gov http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-274A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-274A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-274A1.txt

4. UTAH BROADBAND. Notified Utah Broadband of its Apparent Liability for Forfeiture in the amount of $25,000 for operating intentional radiators not in accordance with Part 15 of the Rules and the devices' Equipment Authorization. Action by: Chief, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted: 02/10/2011 by NALF. (DA No. 11-273). EB
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-273A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-273A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-273A1.txt

5. FCC ANNOUNCES TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR MARCH 3RD OPEN MEETING. News Release. News Media Contact: Robert Kenny at (202) 418-0506, email: Robert.Kenny@fcc.gov OCH
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-304605A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-304605A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-304605A1.txt

6. ERRATUM - REVIEW OF THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM. Issued an Erratum correcting Third Report and Order, FCC 11-12, released February 3, 2011. (Dkt No. 04-296 ). Action by: Chief, Policy Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau by ERRATUM. EB
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-304598A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-304598A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-304598A1.txt

7. IWCE – Intrinsically Safe Radios
IWCE...Providing Wireless Solutions for the Working World
IWCE will be holding a special Lunch & Learn session on Thursday, March 10. Tickets are $49 register
Lunch and Learn: Intrinsically-Safe Radio – Meeting the New Standards
Thursday, March 10 • 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Proposed changes in 2012 to the standard that governs whether LMR radios in the U.S. are intrinsically safe would dramatically lower the power that compliant radios could use. The implications are great, as vendors would be forced to redesign their radios to meet the revised standard, and organizations that need intrinsically safe radios would need to purchase new devices. In addition, lower power will greatly affects radio coverage; this in turn could force end-user organizations to add sites—at great expense—to meet their coverage needs. Join a panel of experts as they discuss the impending changes, the implications and potential work-arounds.

8. Reminder – Narrowbanding is mandated for licensees operating in 150-512 by January 1, 2013 http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/public-safety-spectrum/narrowbanding.html