Meeting Minutes

Region 19 700MHz Committee

 

Tuesday, March 8, 2010

 

Connecticut Fire Academy

34 Perimeter Road

Windsor Locks, CT 06096

 

 

Mr. Jerry Zarwanski chaired the meeting. The meeting started at 10:36AM. An agenda was emailed to all committee members and copies were available for those attending the meeting. Several members called in on the telephone conference bridge.

 

First item on the agenda: Approval of Minutes

 

A copy of the minutes from the last meeting were available. A motion was raised to approve the minutes. The minutes were approved by Mr. Steve Brown and seconded by Mr. Steve Verbil.

 

Two item on the agenda: State Updates

 

Connecticut: Mr. Steven Verbil provided the committee with the State of Connecticut update. The Connecticut Public Safety Data Network (PSDN) will be expanded in Phase II to include additional sites funded by the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant. Mr. Verbil stated the implementation of the physical infrastructure in Phase I of the PSDN is near completion. He anticipates disaster recovery assessment will take place in mid to late April of 2011. Once the disaster recovery assessment is complete and the network is deemed stable, Connecticut On-Line Law Enforcement Communications Teleprocessing (COLLECT) will be moved onto the PSDN. Mr. Verbil indicated the Conventional Channel Gateways (CCGWs) would be activated next on the PSDN. The CCGWs would allow for Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) to make their console resources available across the PSDN. The third application to run on the PSDN will be NG911. Mr. Verbil identified the State of Connecticut has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a Next Generation 911 solution.

 

Massachusetts: Mr. Blair Sutherland stated the Massachusetts Public Safety Interoperability Communications (PSIC) committee has approved the final components to the PSIC grant. Massachusetts will be co-locating VTAC and UTAC channels with existing ITAC channels at 22 tower locations. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) studies have been completed for the 22 tower locations. Mr. Sutherland indicated Massachusetts will be requesting an extension to several PSIC grant Investment Justification’s (IJ).

 

Mr. Zarwanski asked if the Massachusetts State Police are moving forward with licensing the 9 Low Power 700 MHz channels granted by Region 19. Mr. Sutherland informed the committee Massachusetts State Police is moving forward with licensing the channels.

 

Rhode Island: Mr. Crotty stated the data network equipment has arrived for Motorola High Performance Data (HPD) system. The state radio system software must first be upgraded from version 7.9 to 7.11 before the network equipment can be installed. Mr. Crotty anticipates the upgrade will be complete by January 12, 2011.

 

New Hampshire: Mr. Tom Bradwell identified the state will be selecting a vendor to upgrade New Hampshire’s microwave system. The Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant and the PSIC grant will fund the microwave system upgrade.

 

Mr. Chase stated New Hampshire’s I-93 and I-95 projects are progressing. Construction is taking place this summer allowing the state to implement 4.9GHz on I-93. Mr. Chase anticipates Region 19 will receive coordination documentation from New Hampshire’s contractor identifying where the state is going to utilize 4.9GHz frequencies. The state is awaiting the final network design before the document is provided to Region 19.

 

Vermont: No Report

 

Maine: No Report

 

Three item on the agenda: FCC Update

 

Mr. Zarwanski provided the meeting attendees with: MB Docket No. 03-185, “Amendment of Parts 73 and 74 of the Commission’s Rules to Establish Rules for Digital Low Power Television, Television Translator, and Television Booster Stations and to Amend Rules for Digital Class A Television Stations”, “ Comments of The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council”. The handout identified National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) submitted comments to the FCC in September 2010. NPSTC is requesting the low power and secondary users utilizing channels TV 63, 64, 68 and 69 in the 700MHz band vacate by the end of 2010. To date this has not occurred. Entities wishing to build out a 700MHz system must inform low power and secondary users 90 days prior to system turn up.

 

Mr. Zarwanski identified Mr. Verbil has contacted north eastern states in regards to the use of 700MHz state channels. Mr. Verbil stated the north eastern states agreed Computer Assisted Pre-Coordination Resource and Database System (CAPRAD) county channel sort would be used in the allocation of state channels and that Region 19 would be the liaison between the adjacent states. Region 19 would not be responsible for frequency coordination, but only a means of notification between the north eastern states.

 

Mr. Zarwanski identified Region 19 will manage a database for the 700MHz state channels. To properly manage the database Region 19 requires the applicant provide the application technical parameters.

 

Mr. Michael Varney stated we are asking the Region 19 committee to be the clearing house for the state channels, notifying the north eastern states of an applicant’s intent of 700MHz usage. Mr. Zarwanski asked if the north eastern states plan on posting channel usage on the CAPRAD database.

 

Paul Zito raised a motion to accept that Region 19 accept the north eastern states plan as outlined in the documented agreements. Mr. Sutherland seconded the motion. The motion was accepted unanimously.

 

Mr. Zarwanski informed the committee the FCC announced that Long Term Evolution (LTE) is adopted as a common air interface. The FCC also stated the 22 entities receiving waivers for the 700MHz D block must adopt LTE technical requirements.

 

Mr. Varney identified there are several federal legislative initiatives speaking directly to the D block, the Rockfeller and the King bill. One issue of concern is the King bill will reclaim all UHF frequencies from public safety 10 years after allocation of the D block.

 

 

Four item on the agenda: Region 19 Plan/Applications

 

Mr. Zarwanski stated the 700MHz Region 19 Plan has been adopted by the FCC. There has been no need to update the Region 19 plan at this time and there are no pending applications.

 

NRPC had a meeting in Dallas, Texas to discuss a common engineering solution for the coordination of 700MHz channels. NRPC requested RPUC’s complete the 700MHz Software Standardization Survey. Mr. Zarwanski identified he completed the survey for Region 19 and the survey has been submitted.

 

Fifth item on the agenda: Region 8 and Region 30 700MHz Applications

 

Mr. Zarwanski announced Region 19 has approved 6 out of 8 Region 8 Window 1 applications. Region 8 is still awaiting approval from Region 30 and 28. Region 19 submitted documentation to Region 8 identifying the reasons for denying the 2 applications.

 

Region 8 Window 2 had one application submittal, New York City DoIT. Region 19 has not received a formal request from Region 8 requesting concurrence for the Window 2 application.

 

Mr. Zarwanski informed the committee Region 8 received 2 applications in Window 3.

 

 

 

 

Eighth item on the agenda: 4.9GHz

 

Mr. Zarwanski stated the FCC held a 4.9GHz workshop on February 25, 2011. Mr. Chase reported, during the meeting there was an information gathering session on how public safety had adopted 4.9GHz and how it is being used.

 

Ninth item on the agenda: New Business

 

With no further comments or business, Mr. George Carbonell motioned for

adjournment. Mr. Steve Brown seconded the motion. The next meeting will be held at the New Hampshire Department of Safety, 33 Hazen Drive, Concord, New Hampshire on June 14, 2011.

 

All present agreed to adjourn at 11:40PM.