Electric Utilities Want to Use 4.9 GHz Band
The Edison Electric Institute and Utilities Telecom Council pushed the FCC to change its rules for the 4.9 GHz band to let utilities and others in the critical infrastructure industry (CII) use the spectrum set aside for public safety a decade ago. The commission in June approved a notice of proposed rulemaking seeking comment on ways it could push more widespread use of the band, as it seeks to find ways to make more efficient use of all available spectrum (CD June 14 p2).
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Electric utilities need more spectrum, EEI said. “EEI’s members make extensive use of communications as providers of critical utility services, and electric utilities have a strong interest in broad, efficient use of the 4.9 GHz band by utilities and other CII entities, which will go far to ensure reliability and efficiency of utility communications, particularly during and in the immediate aftermath of emergency situations, when communications may be disrupted,” the group said in replies (http://xrl.us/bn4sx5). “Electric utilities and public safety entities are aligned in times of emergency,” and utilities should get use of the band on a “primary” basis, EEI said. That won’t “adversely impact public safety use of the band or jeopardize the integrity of public safety operations,” the group said.
The record shows broad support for letting CCI use the 4.9 GHz spectrum, UTC said. “UTC cautions against unnecessary preconditions and arbitrary limitations on access by utilities and CII, either in terms of the type of use or the bandwidth of the application,” the group said (http://xrl.us/bn4sy6). “Such preconditions and limitations are not necessary and would discourage access by utilities, and with it -- utility investment.” UTC said Sandy showed why utilities need better access to spectrum. During the superstorm, “utilities and other CII primarily relied on their private internal communications systems in order to maintain and restore essential electric, gas and water services,” the group said. “These communications systems support voice dispatch of trucks and personnel, as well as SCADA [supervisory control and data acquisition] systems that automatically clear faults on electric lines. Without reliable communications, including interoperability during mutual aid, service restoration is delayed and faults can lead to extensive outages and catastrophic consequences.”
All comments supported giving “specific categories” of CCI providers access to the 4.9 GHz band, the Enterprise Wireless Association said (http://xrl.us/bn4s22). EWA said “virtually all” commenters “affirmatively opposed” allowing broader commercial operations in this band, one of the proposals in the September NPRM.
But the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association said opening the band to commercial users on a secondary basis would make the most sense for the FCC. “By using geolocation database capabilities and ensuring that public safety users have priority access during times of incidents, the concerns of those opposing or suggesting deferral of consideration for secondary use can be alleviated,” WISPA said (http://xrl.us/bn4s28). Expanding the list of who can use the spectrum would have a number of advantages, the group said. “The ‘increased number and density of commercial systems will provide additional opportunities for public safety users to communicate effectively during times of public safety incidents,'” WISPA said. “Access to additional commercial spectrum for fixed wireless broadband would help alleviate congestion that compromises the consumer experience in other unlicensed bands.” The group said making more unlicensed spectrum available would “facilitate provision of broadband to unserved and underserved consumers.”