The FCC Public Safety Bureau, citing unique circumstances, grante...

before Feb. 18, the day after the DTV transition, and the use must not interfere over-the-air reception of Station KPBS, which broadcasts on TV Channel 15. The county said it needs as much as 24.75 MHz of capacity, given the unusually large size of its operations. In granting the request, the bureau overruled the objections of broadcasters and others who cited interference concerns. Entravision and San Diego State University in particular objected to the waivers, saying they would cause interference to Entravision’s proposed digital LPTV Channel 14 operation, impede SDSU’s transition to a DTV translator on TV Channel 15, and impede efforts for other broadcasters in southern California to transition to DTV. “Specifically, they argue that grant of the request would unduly limit channel availability for digital Class A, LPTV, and TV translator operations, and would exacerbate the problem of scarce spectrum in Southern California,” the bureau said. Entravision also said the county “has not presented the requisite evidence that existing spectrum and spectrum being made available as a result of the digital transition will not meet its needs.” Shure objected, citing wireless microphones which are already using the spectrum, which it said are “essential to the production of content for virtually all media outlets.” But, the FCC noted, a majority of commenters, including the city of Los Angeles and local public safety agencies filed in support. “Several local public safety agencies state that current networks lack the capacity to integrate all of the diverse agencies in the County on a single radio platform, but using the additional spectrum at TV Channel 15 will allow for the rapid implementation and deployment of a county-wide interoperable radio network,” the bureau said. The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council also supported the waivers. “Los Angeles and other applicants must be able to continue to pursue channels in the non-public safety bands prior to and subsequent to the analog broadcast transition in February 2009,” NPSTC said. It argued that the “proper balance of the public interest must weigh on the side of improving emergency service communication over fulfilling the objectives of Class A and LPTV broadcasters.” “We find that the quantity of 700 MHz spectrum is not enough to satisfy the requested need in this case, and that the requested need is reasonable because at the time the County planned its radio system the 700 MHz spectrum was not available,” the bureau said. It also found the county’s plans are “technically feasible without causing harmful interference to other spectrum users entitled to protection from such interference under the Commission’s regulations.”