Deny Pending 700 MHz Waiver Requests, APCO Tells FCC
The FCC should deny all requests from other jurisdictions for waivers so they can launch early public safety networks in the 700 MHz band, while converting waiver authorizations already approved into special temporary authorizations (STAs), the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials said in comments filed at the FCC. The 21 current waiver recipients asked for two-year STAs so that their systems could serve as a kind of “testbed” for a national network. The FCC Public Safety Bureau is asking a battery of questions about 700 MHz transition issues in light of the recently enacted Spectrum Act (CD April 9 p9). For 20 of the 21, the waivers are set to expire Sept. 1.
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"At that point, the FCC’s waiver regime is no longer operative” so the FCC should “immediately deny” pending waiver applications, APCO said (http://xrl.us/bm4t74). A number of jurisdictions, including Oklahoma and Louisiana, have been pressing hard to join the list of waiver recipients. “APCO supports the issuance of STAs in recognition of the substantial efforts of a number of the early build jurisdictions in deploying advanced broadband communications networks,” APCO said. “The experience gained from these deployments may prove helpful to FirstNet in accomplishing the objectives of the public safety legislation."
The Operators Advisory Committee (OAC) to the Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST) said the waiver recipients “have made extensive progress in planning, system design, and consultation with vendors, working with the concerned federal partners and with each other to exchange information and learn from each other’s efforts.” Seven of the 21 got Broadband Technology Opportunity Program grants, totaling $380 million, to support deployment, the OAC said (http://xrl.us/bm4t83). “Others are self-funded or have pursued other grants; some are exploring creative public/private partnership opportunities; all have undertaken outreach to their user communities to assess needs and opportunities and to build support for the deployment.” If the STAs are not granted, “the early deployments will come to an indefinite halt, the extensive efforts of the 21 early builders will be frustrated, funding may very well be lost, and potential users may become disillusioned."
The PSST said the FCC should grant STAs so that the 21 can “continue their ’test-bed’ early deployment efforts consistent with the Commission’s existing interoperability requirements and the eventual transition of the public safety broadband spectrum to FirstNet.” The work the waiver recipients are doing could “provide a significant amount of useful data and other ‘lessons learned’ for FirstNet, the Public Safety Communications Research program, and other parties,” the PSST said (http://xrl.us/bm4t9w). NATOA, the National Association of Counties, the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors strongly endorsed the comments by the OAC and the PSST. “We file these comments separately to underscore our position that the Commission not take any action that may, in any way, imperil the efforts made to date by the 21 waiver recipients that have received Commission waivers for early network deployments using the 10 MHz of public safety broadband spectrum allocated in the 700 MHz band,” they said (http://xrl.us/bm4ubj).
The FCC also heard from several of the 21 waiver recipients asking that they be allowed to continue with their buildouts. “If the Leases are not extended, the early deployments will come to an indefinite halt, the extensive efforts of the 21 early builders will be frustrated, funding may very well be lost, specific jobs will be lost and potential users may become disillusioned,” the state of Texas said (http://xrl.us/bm4uca). “The City does not believe that the transition mandated by Congress requires halting deployment by the Waiver Recipients or that the Act even suggests that the public interest would be served by such an action,” the city of Charlotte, N.C., said, noting that it is set to launch phase one of its system June 30 (http://xrl.us/bm4ucn).