[Federal Register: October 26, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 206)]
[Notices]
[Page 61823-61825]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26oc05-94]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[WT Docket No. 02-55; DA 05-2390]
Private Land Mobile Services; 800 MHz Public Safety Interference
Proceeding; NPSPAC Regions Assigned to Wave 2
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: As part of the 800 MHz band reconfiguration process, the
Commission stated that it would issue a public notice thirty days
before reconfiguration is scheduled to start in each National Public
Safety Planning Advisory Committee (NPSPAC) region. Each such public
notice will specify a three-month voluntary negotiation period during
which time identified licensees in the regions being reconfigured are
encouraged to reach agreement with Nextel on the details of relocating.
The voluntary negotiation period would be followed by a three-month
mandatory negotiation period, if necessary. The Commission also stated
that it would freeze the filing of certain 800 MHz applications for the
regions being reconfigured when it issued a public notice announcing
the date when voluntary negotiation of relocation agreements must be
concluded. The Commission explained that this freeze is
[[Page 61824]]
necessary in order to maintain a stable spectral landscape during the
reconfiguration process in each region.
DATES: This Notice announces that 800 MHz band reconfiguration for
NPSPAC Regions in Wave 2 commenced on October 3, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roberto Mussenden,
Roberto.Mussenden@FCC.gov, Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure
Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418-0680, TTY (202)
418-7233.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of a public notice
released on September 2, 2005.
1. In July 2004, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission)
adopted a Report and Order in this docket which, inter alia,
reconfigured the 800 MHz band to eliminate interference to public
safety and other land mobile communication systems operating in the
band. See 69 FR 67823, November 22, 2004, modified by 70 FR 6758,
February 8, 2005. As specified in the Report and Order, the band
reconfiguration process is being overseen by a Transition Administrator
(TA) which has provided the Commission with a plan detailing when band
reconfiguration will commence in each of the fifty-five 800 MHz
National Public Safety Planning Advisory Committee (NPSPAC) regions. On
March 11, 2005, the Bureau approved the TA's basic 800 MHz band
reconfiguration schedule, i.e., the grouping of the NPSPAC regions into
four waves (Waves 1-4) and starting the reconfiguration process in each
wave on the dates recommended by the TA. See 70 FR 21786, April 27,
2005.
2. As part of the 800 MHz band reconfiguration process, the
Commission stated that it would issue a Public Notice thirty days
before reconfiguration is scheduled to start in each NPSPAC region.
Each such Public Notice specifies a three-month voluntary negotiation
period during which time identified licensees in the regions being
reconfigured are encouraged to reach agreement with Nextel on the
details of relocating. The voluntary negotiation period is followed by
a three-month mandatory negotiation period, if necessary. The
Commission also stated that it would freeze the filing of certain 800
MHz applications for the regions being reconfigured when it issued a
Public Notice announcing the date when voluntary negotiation of
relocation agreements must be concluded. The Commission explained that
this freeze is necessary in order to maintain a stable spectral
landscape during the reconfiguration process in each region. The
Commission delegated authority to issue these Public Notices to the
Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure Division of the Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau (WTB).
3. On May 27, 2005, WTB released a Public Notice announcing the
reconfiguration start date for the NPSPAC regions assigned to Wave 1
(i.e., for the non-NPSPAC channels therein). See 70 FR 34764-02, June
15, 2005. This Wave 1 PN also specified the 800 MHz reconfiguration
benchmark compliance dates. By this Public Notice, we announce that the
800 MHz band reconfiguration process for non-NPSPAC channels will start
October 3, 2005, in the NPSPAC regions assigned to Wave 2. A list of
NPSPAC regions assigned to Wave 2 is attached below. The three-month
period during which non-NPSPAC 800 MHz licensees have the option of
negotiating on a voluntary basis will end January 2, 2006. The three-
month mandatory negotiation period will end April 2, 2006.
4. We also announce by this Public Notice that, effective
immediately, we are freezing the filing of 800 MHz applications for
non-NPSPAC channels in Wave 2. The freeze applies to stations located
in all of the NPSPAC regions assigned to Wave 2 and to stations within
seventy miles of the borders of the Wave 2 regions. This freeze is
effective on the release date of this Public Notice and will last until
thirty working days after the date for completion of mandatory
negotiations as specified above, i.e., until May 12, 2006. The freeze
does not apply to modification applications filed to implement 800 MHz
band reconfiguration, modification applications filed that do not
change an 800 MHz frequency or expand a 800 MHz station's existing
coverage area (e.g., administrative updates), assignments/transfers, or
renewal-only applications.
5. To facilitate the 800 MHz reconfiguration process, the
Commission has established the following new radio service codes for
licenses that list 800 MHz band frequencies governed by part 90 of the
Commission's Rules:
Site specific licenses:
Public safety (conventional)--GE
Public safety (trunked)--YE
Business/Industrial/Land Transportation (conventional)--GJ
Business/Industrial/Land Transportation (trunked)--YJ
SMR (conventional)--GM and GL (The GL code is used only
for applications listing both 800 MHz and 900 MHz frequencies)
SMR (trunked)--YM and YL (The YL code is used only for
applications listing both 800 MHz and 900 MHz frequencies)
Geographic area licenses:
SMR, market area--YH and CY (The CY code is used only for
applications listing both 800 MHz and 1.9 GHz frequencies)
Appendix.--NPSPAC Regions Assigned to Wave 2
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NPSPAC region \1\ Description of region \2\
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4............................... Arkansas.
12............................... Idaho.
15............................... Iowa.
16............................... Kansas.
17............................... Kentucky.
22............................... Minnesota.
24............................... Missouri.
25............................... Montana.
26............................... Nebraska.
32............................... North Dakota.
34............................... Oklahoma.
38............................... South Dakota.
39............................... Tennessee.
40............................... Texas (Central & Northeast).
44............................... West Virginia.
46............................... Wyoming.
47............................... Puerto Rico.
48............................... U.S. Virgin Islands.
49............................... Texas (Central--Austin area).
51............................... Texas (East--Houston area).
52............................... Texas (Panhandle, High Plains &
Northwest-Lubbock area).
*................................ Large non-public safety systems that
cover multiple NPSPAC regions. \3\
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\1\ Per the TA's request, we are moving the Louisiana NPSPAC region
(18) from Wave 2 to Wave 3. See letter from Bob Kelly to
Michael Wilhelm, Chief Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure
Division, dated September 2, 2005.
\2\ Regions that are only a portion of a state or states are defined by
counties. A list of the counties in each of these regions can be
accessed at http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Wireless/Orders/1998/
fcc98191.txt.
\3\ Large non-public safety systems that had no systems in Wave 1 and
that provide coverage beyond the border of NPSPAC regions in Wave 2
will commence reconfiguration of their entire system, including base
stations located outside the boundaries of Wave 2 NPSPAC regions, as
part of the Wave 2 reconfiguration process.
6. The Commission's Universal Licensing System (ULS) will
automatically update modification applications filed to implement 800
MHz band reconfiguration to show the appropriate new radio service code
(i.e., applicants should file using their current radio service codes).
Once the radio service code has been changed on the license by the
Commission, licensees filing subsequent applications concerning that
license must use the new radio service code.
[[Page 61825]]
7. The Reconfiguration Plan filed by the TA is available on the
Commission's 800 MHz band reconfiguration Web page at http://www.800MHz.gov.
Questions concerning the plan, and other Transition
Administrator matters, including whether your 800 MHz system must be
relocated, should be directed to Brett Haan, BearingPoint, 1676
International Drive, McLean, VA 22102, Brett.Haan@800ta.org. For
additional information on 800 MHz band reconfiguration issues,
generally, please contact Roberto Mussenden, Esq., Public Safety and
Critical Infrastructure Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau,
at (202) 418-0680, TTY (202) 418-7233, or via e-mail to
Roberto.Mussenden@fcc.gov.
Federal Communications Commission.
Scot Stone,
Deputy Chief, Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure Division,
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. 05-21297 Filed 10-25-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P