1. Regional Planning Status Update and Regulatory Update
1/17/2019
Regional Planning Status Update and Regulatory Update
Presented by John A. Evanoff, Deputy Chief
Policy and Licensing Division, PSHSB, FCC
National Regional Planning Council Training, August 7, 2018
Las Vegas, Nevada

2. TOPICS Background –Regional Planning 700 MHz 800 MHz
Bureau Support for Regional Planning Committees
Update on Interoperability Issues
Questions
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3. Commission’s Role in Relation to Regional Planning Committees
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4. Commission’s role in relation to the RPCs is limited to:
(1) defining regional boundaries,
(2) requiring fair and open procedures, i.e., requiring notice, opportunity for comment, and reasonable consideration,
(3) specifying the elements that all regional plans must include, and
(4) reviewing and accepting proposed plans (or amendments to approved plans) or rejecting them with an explanation.
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5. 800 MHz Band Regional Planning
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6. 1/17/2019
NPSPAC / MHz
47 CFR § – The Public Safety National Plan is contained in Report and Order, General Docket No
No assignments will be made until a regional plan has been accepted by the Commission. 47 CFR § (g)
“Home” RPC approval letters must be filed with FCC Form 601
RPCs should follow adjacent region coordination procedures called out in FCC-approved RPC plans.
Five Mutual Aid channels, including one calling channel
Emission Mask H applies to all digital equipment in the 800 MHz NPSPAC band.
All mobile and portable radios must be capable of analog emission on the 800 MHz mutual aid channels.
The Commission adopted the 700 MHz band plan in 1998, and established a process to allow RPCs maximum flexibility to meet state and local public safety communications needs, to encourage innovative and effective use of the spectrum, and accommodate new and yet unanticipated developments in technology and equipment.

7. 41 Approved Rebanding Plan Amendments -
Rebanding Plan Amendments - Regions in Waves 1, 2 and 3 filed (1) Streamlined and (2) Non-streamlined amendments.
Streamlined plan amendments reflect the 15 megahertz shift in the NPSPAC band from / MHz to / MHz
41 Approved Rebanding Plan Amendments -
Region 48 (US Virgin Islands) – no response.
Wave 4 Regions –Plan Amendment filing requirements to be announced by Public Notice. Negotiations with US/Canada and US/Mexico have been completed. Rebanding along the US/Canada border is nearly complete.

8. 20 Regions Completed Rebanding*
Full interference protection rules in place (47 CFR Secs )
TA approval for new NPSPAC applications no longer required
Sprint-Vacated interleaved spectrum available to Public Safety for 5 yrs (exclusively for 3 yrs)
Expansion and Guard Band spectrum available
900 MHz freeze lifted
Region 2 Alaska
Region 26 Nebraska
Region 7 Colorado
Region 30 Eastern Upstate New York
Region 11 Hawaii
Region 32 North Dakota
Region 12 Idaho
Region 38 South Dakota
Region 15 Iowa
Region 41 Utah
Region 16 Kansas
Region 44 West Virginia
Region 17 Kentucky
Region 45 Wisconsin
Region 22 Minnesota
Region 46 Wyoming
Region 24 Missouri
Region 55 Western Upstate New York
Region 25 Montana
* Region 64 American Samoa (treated as a NSPAC region for rebanding purposes)

9. 21 Regions Completed Rebanding
Expansion and Guard Band Channels remain unavailable for licensing
Region 1 Alabama
Region 28 New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware
Region 8 New York Metropolitan
Region 31 North Carolina
Region 10 Georgia
Region 35 Oregon
Region 13 Illinois
Region 36 Western Pennsylvania
Region 14 Indiana
Region 37 South Carolina
Region 18 Louisiana
Region 39 Tennessee
Region 19 New England
Region 42 Virginia
Region 20 Maryland, Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia
Region 47 Puerto Rico
Region 21 Michigan
Region 48 U.S. Virgin Islands
Region 23 Mississippi
Region 51 Texas – Houston (application freeze remains in effect for certain counties)
Region 54 Chicago

10. 700 MHz Band Regional Planning
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11. 700 MHz Regional Planning
Administration of regional planning is defined in the Commission’s First Report and Order and Third Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, WT Docket No , 14 FCC Rcd 152 (1998) – describes the planning process for General Use channels
Authorizes RPCs to prioritize “highest and best use” to make such determinations - Second Memorandum Opinion and Order, 15 FCC Rcd (2000) – addressed digital modulation, technical requirements, efficiency and receiver standards, and further outlined RPC authority and responsibilities
Consolidation of NB frequencies Second Report and Order, PS Docket No , WT Docket No FCC Rcd (2007).
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12. Plan Requirements
47 C.F.R § Regional plan requirements - each plan must contain certain “common elements”
Comprehensive Plans will also contain:
Procedures for requesting spectrum allotments
Initial “county” pool allotments, varies by region
Application requirements and RPC evaluation/approval criteria
Procedure for frequency coordination
System Design/Efficiency Requirements
System Implementation
Adjacent region coordination procedures
RPCs are expected to ensure that their committees are representative of all public safety entities in their regions
By providing adequate notice of all meetings, opportunity for comment, and reasonable consideration of views expressed.
Plans must include an explanation of how all eligibles within the region were given notice.
Plans should list the steps undertaken to encourage and accommodate all eligible entities to participate in the planning process – such as holding meetings in different parts of the region
Plan should describe outreach efforts made to all interested stakeholders, including tribal governments. Arizona, Idaho and Washington are good examples.

13. 47 C.F.R § Band Plan
Sets forth the band plan for the MHz and MHz bands.
Base and mobile use. The MHz band may be used for base, mobile or fixed transmissions. The MHz band may be used only for mobile or fixed (control) transmissions.
Narrowband segments - divided by designated purpose: General Use, Interoperability, Air-Ground Channels (former Secondary Trunking), State License, Low Power, and the former Reserve (now General Use) channels.

14. Plan development and implementation issues
Flexibility in Allotment pools – ex: By county geographic political boundary plus, miles, where possible. Region 5 (Southern California) is an exception.
Applicants failing to provide sufficient information to the RPC in order to complete their due diligence evaluation and frequency recommendation.
Resolve within the Region or through the NRPC. If necessary escalate to the Policy and Licensing Division of the PSHSB for resolution.
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15. RPC-established Loading requirements
RPC-established Loading requirements. RPC 700 MHz Plan may include loading policy, which the RPC will use in evaluating applications on a case-by-case basis.
RPC Interoperability responsibilities: State SIEC and SWICs. Identify the body with responsibility (RPC, SIEC, etc.)
Eligibility rules: 700 MHz eligibility rules are very specific and may not be waived by the Commission. 47 CFR Sec
Relation to 800 MHz: 700 MHz RPCs are distinct entities.

16. RPC letters of support for STAs, and applications for licensure
RPC approval letters must be filed with every application
Specific frequency recommendations, as approved by the RPC, must be identified in the RPC letter of support to the public safety applicant and must be signed by current chairperson.

17. 700 MHz Regional Plan Status
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700 MHz Regional Plan Status
50 Plans Submitted – See Docket history in WT Docket No in ECFS (repository for plans, plan amendments and comments submitted)
Electronic Comment Filing System:
49 Plans Approved, See FCC EDOCs for Comment and Approval Public Notices (PNs)
Commission’s Electronic Documents:
5 Regions Have Not Submitted Plans
1 Pending Plan – North Dakota
Spectrum Allocations – Plan will differ in approach to spectrum planning and management.
The Regional Planning Guidebook developed by the Public Safety National Coordinating Committee (NCC) is an excellent resource.
It contains a plan template and provides examples of how to address each plan element.

18. 700 MHz NARROWBAND UPDATES
Former reserve channels available for T-band incumbents, General Use, deployable trunked systems and vehicular repeater systems (MO3)
PSHSB approved 30 plan amendments to incorporate the reserve channels
States or RPCs may administer the 700 MHz air-ground channels (former secondary trunked channels)
The Bureau continues working on resolving state license waivers before issuing guidance regarding cancelled state licenses
The FCC eliminated the 6.25 kHz narrowbanding mandate and encouraged the RPCs to consider broadband operations on the General Use spectrum
In 2018, the FCC
Exempted vehicular repeater systems from the 700 MHz trunking rule;
Adopted a list of baseline feature sets for radios operating on the interoperability channels; and
Clarified the 700 MHz interoperability rules.
1/17/2019

19. Canada and Mexico
Regional Plans are generally subject to International Agreements between the U.S. and Canada and Mexico
Canada - Arrangement Q – 700 MHz narrowband
Defines Sharing and Protection Zones and areas for primary U.S. or Canada use (generally areas within 140 km of border)
Identifies interoperability channels and low power channels
interoperability channels shall be used for coordinating tactical communications between public safety agencies, within PS agencies or similar emergency communications purposes.
700 MHz Air-Ground channels
PSHSB sought comment on airborne use of 700 MHz air-ground channels by the U.S. and Canada while avoiding undue disruption to terrestrial operations.
Mexico
Bureau continues to work with Mexico to update 700 MHz agreement in light on consolidated narrowband plan.

20. BUREAU SUPPORT FOR Regional Planning
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21. Regional Plan Administration:
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Regional Plan Administration:
John Evanoff, (202)
RPCs should notify adjacent regions and PSHSB staff of changes in leadership
Requests for Meeting Announcement PNs:
Kim Anderson, or (202)
Cc: John Evanoff
RPC requests to PSHSB to issue Public Notice of meeting announcements are provided as a courtesy and RPCs should provide PSHSB staff advance notice
RPCs remain responsible for providing membership advance notice as required by Commission policies.
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22. 1/17/2019
Comment Public Notice
Plan and Plan Amendments are reviewed, and if accepted, placed on public notice for comment.
If found deficient, i.e., rejected --
Staff will notify RPC of discrepancy, resolve staff-to-staff where possible.
Deficiencies must be resolved before deemed sufficiently compliant to place on public notice.
700 MHz plan amendments subject to streamlined procedures, 47 CFR § (b).
Combining 700 MHz and 800 MHz Plan Amendments
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23. Electronic Search Databases
FCC Daily Digest (DD) – Public notices are published in the Commission’s DD with a comment cycle: 20 days for comments, 10 for replies.
Streamlined 700 MHz plan amendments are deemed approved unless objection filed within 30 day comment period.
700 MHz minor plan amendments must be filed with the FCC and served on adjacent regions, but are not subject to public comment
Plan, or Plan Amendment approvals are announced by Public Notice
EDOCs – Commission’s Electronic Document database contains all FCC issued documents, PNs, Orders, NPRMs, News Releases, etc.
ECFS – Electronic Comment Filing System allows public to file comments on Plan and Plan Amendments according to docket number

24. UPDATE ON INTEROPERABILITY EFFORTS
1/17/2019

25. INTEROPERABILITY
NTIA and the FCC agreed to streamline procedures to enable State, Local and Tribal public safety entities to license and use the Federal interoperability channels.
The PSHSB issued an Order and Public Notice outlining the new procedures.
PSHSB continues to work on 4.9 GHz.
1/17/2019

26. QUESTIONS? 700 MHz and 800 MHz Policy: Licensing:
John Evanoff, ;
Brian Marenco, Electronics Engineer (202) ;
Roberto Mussenden, Attorney Advisor (202) ; or
Michael J. Wilhelm, Chief, Policy and Licensing Division (202)
Licensing:
Tracy Simmons, Chief, Licensing Branch, Policy and Licensing Division, Gettysburg (717)