Craig Sikes
Mobile Communications America
The Enterprise Wireless Alliance (EWA) filed a Petition for Rulemaking (PRM) today requesting the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to modify Part 90 Subpart S rules to eliminate the assignment of frequencies within the 809-816/854-861 MHz portion of the band (“800 MHz Band Segment”) to specific “pools” of eligible entities. (In the southeastern United States and Atlanta, Georgia, the applicable range is 809-813.5/854-858.5 MHz.) Despite being subject to identical technical and operational rules, frequencies are assigned to either the Public Safety Pool, the Business/Industrial/Land Transportation (B/ILT) Pool, the Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) Category, or the General Category. EWA recommended that the optimum policy would be to classify all frequencies as General Category and make them available to all qualified applicants. EWA also requested the FCC to terminate the rule reserving so-called “Sprint-Vacated” spectrum for use by certain classes of entities so those frequencies can be placed into productive use as demand dictates without further delay.
Arguments supporting the Petition include:
“This Petition promotes common sense spectrum policy. We look forward to working with our private wireless colleagues and the FCC in streamlining the rules governing access to the 800 MHz band to make it more efficient for land mobile licensees whether business/industrial, public safety or SMR,” said EWA’s President and CEO, Robin Cohen.
The Enterprise Wireless Alliance is the leading national trade association and advocate for business enterprises, private carrier operators, equipment manufacturers, and service providers that support the private wireless industry. A frequency advisory committee certified by the Federal Communications Commission, EWA provides its members and clients with consulting services, frequency coordination, license preparation, spectrum management and associated business intelligence services. EWA is the market leader in Business/Industrial Land Transportation frequency coordination services and assists a significant percentage of public safety customers with their spectrum requirements. Learn more at www.enterprisewireless.org.