ORLANDO -- An endorsement of a proposal to have the FCC dedicate 30 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum for use by public safety to create a broadband network -- rather than sell it at auction -- is getting strong consideration by the Assn. of Public Safety Communications Officials, sources said Tues. The idea came from Nextel co-founder Morgan O'Brien, who met Mon. with the APCO board to outline it. O'Brien has been meeting with others at the conference here on the plan. The APCO board could act as early as this week.
ORLANDO -- Challenges to E-911 call centers and emergency communications are ever more complex, demanding more planning and cooperation, Gen. Richard Myers, former Joint Chiefs of Staff chmn., said Mon. at the annual Assn. of Public Safety Communications Officials conference. Chmn. from after Sept. 11, 2001, through Katrina, retiring late in 2005, Myers said those two events showed many lessons remain to be learned.
Significant upfront payments made by cable companies and DBS operators in the advanced wireless services (AWS) auction that starts Wed. is likely good news for the FCC, which wants to see a strong auction, for competition in general, and for equipment suppliers who would get a new set of customers. But the potential bids by the deep-pocketed contenders means T-Mobile, which needs spectrum to stay competitive, must dig deeper into its coffers, sources agreed.
CTIA asked the FCC to make clear that carriers won’t have to make potentially significant retroactive payments to the USF because of confusion over the definition of “toll revenue” on a key reporting form. CTIA filed a petition for declaratory ruling at the agency, seeking guidance on questions tied to the agency’s latest USF contribution order, approved at the June agenda meeting (CD June 22 p1).
Wireless carriers and the FCC had a big loss in a battle with NASUCA and NARUC over truth in billing regulation, as a panel of the 11th U.S. Appeals Court, Atlanta unanimously threw out a March 2005 FCC truth in billing (TIB) order. The order said state rules requiring or barring line items on mobile carrier bills are rate regulation preempted by federal law.
DBS and cable came in with the largest upfront payments for the advanced wireless (AWS) services auction, which starts Aug. 9, based on documents released Fri. by the FCC, potentially setting them up to be dominant players in the biggest spectrum auction in years. T-Mobile, which needs spectrum to remain competitive, was top among wireless carriers. In a surprise to some, the auction will be open with bidder identities revealed after each round, after the FCC determined that auction passed its competitiveness test.
Verizon Wireless said Thurs. it has been working with 5 leading vendors to develop a revised version of IMS that it calls A-IMS, for “advances to IMS.” But company officials conceded on a conference call that full rollout could be years away.
Regulation of future uses of the 5.9 GHz band for intelligent transportation systems (ITS) was clarified Wed. by the FCC in an order. Agency actions included designating channel 172 in the band for accident avoidance and mitigation. This will spur efforts by automakers to equip vehicles with the technology, such as systems that detect the presence and speed of vehicles ahead and warn when a collision is likely, sources said.
Comments in an FCC proceeding on creation of a spectrum “test bed” illustrate why the Commission should proceed with extreme caution if such a bed is established, commenters said in replies, a number of which were playing defense. CTIA said the FCC must protect CMRS licensees. Shure accused some commenters of seeking a “spectrum give away.”
Council Tree, Bethel Native Corporation (BNC) and the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council told the FCC they wanted to withdraw a petition for expedited reconsideration of the designated rules for the upcoming advanced wireless services auction, because action on their complaint has shifted to the 3rd U.S. Appeals Court, Philadelphia (CD June 30 p1). The AWS auction is to begin Aug. 9. Neither Council Tree nor BNC filed applications to bid in the auction.