New England Region 19 700 MHz

Technical Advisory Committee Meeting

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Connecticut Fire Academy

Windsor Locks, CT 06096

 

The meeting was called to order at 10:03 AM by the Chairman, Mr. George Pohorilak. Mr. Jerry Zarwanski, Vice Chairman and Mr. James Warakois, Secretary were present.

 

Members of the Committee were asked to sign the attendance sheet.

 

Approval of Minutes - With a quorum of members present the Chairman CALLED for approval of the minutes of the previous meeting. Moved by Mr. Leary and seconded by Mr. Brown that the minutes be accepted. There was no discussion and the minutes were ACCEPTED by voice vote.

 

STATE UPDATE:

 

Connecticut: Chairman Pohorilak gave a brief overview of the State Communications                                           Interoperability Plan (SCIP) and PSIC (Public Safety Interoperability                                                 Communications) Grant. The State of CT submitted three investment                                                justifications for the PSIC grant. The State of CT seeks to receive $13 million.                                 The State of CT will be hiring Emergency Communications Manager(s) to                                  develop and coordinate the SCIP and PSIC grant. The job announcement will be                              available in short time.

                        The State Interoperability Committee continues to meet on a monthly basis and                                 the State of CT now has monthly meetings with a new 700MHz regional and local                       committee. There are five regional members on the committee that are ESF#2                                   coordinators for the Department of Emergency Management Homeland Security                              (DEMHS). The State of CT also has a 700MHz State Committee.

 

Massachusetts: No Report

 

Rhode Island: No Report

 

Maine: No Report

 

New Hampshire: Mr. Kowalik reported that the State of New Hampshire has a similar

interoperability committee to that of CT. New Hampshire submitted it PSIC                               grant with more investment justifications. New Hampshire seeks to receive $6

million.

 

Vermont: No Report

 

 

FCC Update:

 

            FCC-07-132 Notice of Proposed Rule Making – Second Report and Order are the service rules for the 698-746, 747-762 and 777-792 MHz Bands. The FCC revised the 700 MHz band plan and service rules to promote the creation of a nationwide, interoperable broadband network for public safety and to facilitate the availability of new and innovative wireless broadband services for consumers. The FCC has an auction for the D block of spectrum. It seeks to find a telecommunications carrier to build out a nationwide Public Safety broadband network with 10MHz of Public Safety spectrum and 10MHz of D block spectrum for commercial use. Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST) will hold the license and negotiate the agreement with the D block carrier. The FCC has issued construction requirements with the D block spectrum. The FCC has not announced the D Block carrier winner.

           

            Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Docket Number 02-378 and PS Docket No. 06-229, Region 19 – 700MHz Amended Regional Plan. Mr. Zarwanski reported that the Committee has filed the required amended plan. It was filed electronically on time (January 31, 2008). He reported that all seventeen Regions with previously filed plans have met the filing deadline. Two Regions that had not previously entered their plans met the due date.

Chairman Pohorilak thanked the member who acted expeditiously during the review of the Plan to make the required changes. Mr. Zarwanski recognized the contributions of Mr. Masciadrelli and Mr. Carbonell in performing many of the tasks in electronic filing of the Region 19 Plan Amendment. Mr. Zarwanski noted that the filing was without the CAPRAD repacking.

 

 

CAPRAD:

 

Information was given to the National Institute of Justice facility in Texas. The following Plan parameters where provided after several conference calls:

 

·      Type of technology the Region would go forward with

·      Block spacing information, channel block sizes [ 12.5 kHz]

·      Combiner separation [250 kHz]

·      Capacity options: Population Density, [refer to standard population model]

 

This was agreed to by Region 19 participants in the conference call that was held prior to the January 31, 2008 notification date.

 

 

The CAPRAD repacking will be done by mid-March.

 

Documents for application for 700 MHz allocation are available at the Region 19 700MHz Committee website NER700MHZ.org. Applications will be filed both in paper (3 copies) and electronically entered into CAPRAD for the frequency allotment.

 

NPSTC

 

NPSTC held its last quarterly meeting in Arizona. The meeting was well attended by its membership. Mr. Leary, Mr. Carbonell and Mr. Zarwanski attended meeting in AZ. The information acquired by the attendees is very valuable, noted by Mr. Zarwanski.

The next meeting will be held in Washington, DC on June 16 – 18.

 

Region 8 and 30 Plan Amendments

 

Mr. Travis Lepage representing Regions 8 and 30 presented plans to change the in-band low power procedures for those Regional Plans. He requested reconsideration by Region 19. A concurrence to the modification of the in-band low power procedures is required by Region 19.

Discussion of the change in the Region 8 and 30 plans ensued. Region 19 has no issues with the change in the plan. However, Mr. Zarwanski noted that this committee has not received concurrence from Region 30 for its amended plan filing with the FCC which was requested by the end of January 2008. Region 8 had responded by the deadline requested. Mr. LePage will readdress the question of concurrence from Region 30 for the Region 19 Plan Amendment and respond to the Region 19 Chairman. Region 19 Chairman indicated that Region 19 will not move forward with concurrence to the Region 30 plan change until Region 30 delivers a concurrence request to Region 19 for its Plan Amendment. Mr. LePage acknowledged that he would deliver the Region 19 Chairman’s request to Region 30.

 

Discussion proceeded with the definition of “ultimate authority” within the Region 8 and 30 plan change. Several contributors offered viewpoints. Mr. Jeff Otto stated that the authorizing entities; as noted in the document be clarified: “Clarification as to the nature of the State or other governmental entity whose support is required for a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to remain in compliance with Subsections one and three of paragraph b of 1.1.2.”Mr. Pohorilak suggested that the term be” State, Regional or local government.” Mr. LePage will seek clarification.

 

4.9 GHz

Mr. Zarwanski distributed documents describing WIMAX technology. He reported that he has received letters of intent to utilize 4.9 MHz technologies from: Everett, MA; Bloomfield, CT; New Haven, CT; Tewksbury, MA and W. Hartford, CT.

 

Mr. Zarwanski advised caution to the communities of Bloomfield, CT and West Hartford, CT which are adjacent towns that they should converse among themselves to avoid interference issues with differing technology choices.

 

 

 

New Business

 

The Chairman extended thanks to the APCO Atlantic Chapter for providing basic support of this committee’s operation. They have reimbursed the Committee for operation of the Website and other supply items of the committee meetings.

 

The next meeting will be at the New Hampshire State Police Facility in Concord. The address is 33 Hazen Drive, NH on the second Tuesday in June (June 10, 2008).

 

Mr. Leary moved to ADJOURN, seconded by Mr. Brown. Motion accepted by unanimous voice vote to adjourn.

 

 

Respectfully Submitted

 

James A. Warakois, Secretary