n4voxgill
Silent Key
The FCC has just entered its first decision in an appeal involving rebanding. This appeal involves the State Of New York trunked system that covers the New York City metro area. But the basic issues are nationwide.
New York has the Open Sky equipment on hand to put up the metrol sytem. They are not asking for any funding from Nextel as they don't want to reband the old equipment. The argument is over when Nextel has to make frequencies available in the 851-854 portion of the band. New York wants to do it now and Nextel wants to delay it to an undertermined date. The FCC in this order states that they want Phase I to be on time for completion by 2008. here are parts of the order:
1. In this Memorandum Opinion and Order (Order), we address a case referred to us for de novo review from Wave 1, Stage 2 mediation by the 800 MHz Transition Administrator (TA) concerning an 800 MHz band reconfiguration dispute between the State of New York (New York) and Sprint Nextel Corporation (Sprint). The parties have agreed on all elements of a Frequency Relocation Agreement (FRA) for New York’s “Metro-21” 800 MHz NPSPAC public safety communications system except the date for deployment of the Metro-21 system in the new NPSPAC band. New York seeks a firm date for deployment while Sprint proposes to defer deciding the date. We find that Sprint must either accept the date proposed by New York or promptly propose an alternative date. We order the parties to meet within fifteen days to negotiate a FRA consistent with the instant Order.
11. Finally, regardless of any other contingency, the 800 MHz Report and Order requires that Sprint vacate the entire 806-809/851-854 MHz band—not just the portion of the band required to accommodate Metro-21—in time to complete rebanding by the end of the 36-month transition period on June 26, 2008. Thus, the burden is on Sprint to propose a definitive timetable that vacates the band in time to provide Metro-21 and all other NPSPAC licensees in the New York metropolitan area with access to the band on or before that date.
This part has an interesting comment about the Pennsyvania Open Sky system
13. Finally, Sprint contends that the Metro-21 OpenSky system should not be deployed in the new NPSPAC band because it could cause interference to other systems in the band, including Sprint’s system, upon deployment. Sprint cites alleged instances of interference caused by Pennsylvania’s OpenSky system, and argues that implementation of the Metro-21 system should be deferred pending further testing. This argument is speculative and unpersuasive. New York points out that its OpenSky system is more modern and more technically advanced than the Pennsylvania system, and does not pose an interference risk. Moreover, if time for interference testing is needed, it can be accommodated in the FRA timetable without deferring implementation indefinitely
The whole order is available at:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-2000A1.doc
I personally don't think Phase I will be completed in just a little over a year, but it is still moving and will ultimately effect many scanners capabiity.
New York has the Open Sky equipment on hand to put up the metrol sytem. They are not asking for any funding from Nextel as they don't want to reband the old equipment. The argument is over when Nextel has to make frequencies available in the 851-854 portion of the band. New York wants to do it now and Nextel wants to delay it to an undertermined date. The FCC in this order states that they want Phase I to be on time for completion by 2008. here are parts of the order:
1. In this Memorandum Opinion and Order (Order), we address a case referred to us for de novo review from Wave 1, Stage 2 mediation by the 800 MHz Transition Administrator (TA) concerning an 800 MHz band reconfiguration dispute between the State of New York (New York) and Sprint Nextel Corporation (Sprint). The parties have agreed on all elements of a Frequency Relocation Agreement (FRA) for New York’s “Metro-21” 800 MHz NPSPAC public safety communications system except the date for deployment of the Metro-21 system in the new NPSPAC band. New York seeks a firm date for deployment while Sprint proposes to defer deciding the date. We find that Sprint must either accept the date proposed by New York or promptly propose an alternative date. We order the parties to meet within fifteen days to negotiate a FRA consistent with the instant Order.
11. Finally, regardless of any other contingency, the 800 MHz Report and Order requires that Sprint vacate the entire 806-809/851-854 MHz band—not just the portion of the band required to accommodate Metro-21—in time to complete rebanding by the end of the 36-month transition period on June 26, 2008. Thus, the burden is on Sprint to propose a definitive timetable that vacates the band in time to provide Metro-21 and all other NPSPAC licensees in the New York metropolitan area with access to the band on or before that date.
This part has an interesting comment about the Pennsyvania Open Sky system
13. Finally, Sprint contends that the Metro-21 OpenSky system should not be deployed in the new NPSPAC band because it could cause interference to other systems in the band, including Sprint’s system, upon deployment. Sprint cites alleged instances of interference caused by Pennsylvania’s OpenSky system, and argues that implementation of the Metro-21 system should be deferred pending further testing. This argument is speculative and unpersuasive. New York points out that its OpenSky system is more modern and more technically advanced than the Pennsylvania system, and does not pose an interference risk. Moreover, if time for interference testing is needed, it can be accommodated in the FRA timetable without deferring implementation indefinitely
The whole order is available at:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-2000A1.doc
I personally don't think Phase I will be completed in just a little over a year, but it is still moving and will ultimately effect many scanners capabiity.
