Telecom Alert - 3.65 GHz NPRM; Draft Pole Attachment Orders; 911 Reliability Certification Deadline; Spectrum Frontiers Proceeding; 800 MHz Band Forum; Upcoming Events - Vol. XIV, Issue 44
FCC Adopts 3.5 GHz Band NPRM
Last week, the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to further revise its Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) rules, which include the 3.65 GHz band. Among other things, the FCC has proposed extending the license term for Priority Access Licenses (PAL), creating a license renewal expectancy for PALs, authorizing the agency to auction a PAL in an area even if there is only a single bidder, and increasing the geographic area covered by PALs. The proposed changes are not without controversy: FCC Commissioner Rosenworcel issued a dissent, arguing that proposals were “short-sighted,” and “impeding real progress.” Comments and Reply Comments will be due after the item is published in the Federal Register, which should occur in the next few weeks. For more information, please contact Greg Kunkle (kunkle@khlaw.com; 202.434.4178).
Draft Pole Attachment Orders
Last week, the FCC announced its agenda for the agency’s November Open Meeting. As part of this, the Commission released the texts of two draft orders affecting pole attachments. One is in the Wireline Infrastructure proceeding and resolves three minor issues and tees up further discussion of overlashing and service drop attachments. The other removes certain pole replacements from historic preservation review. For additional information, please contact Tom Magee (magee@khlaw.com; 202.434.4128) or Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271).
911 Reliability Certification Deadline
The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau extended the deadline for Covered 911 Service Providers to certify compliance with the agency’s 911 Reliability Rules from October 15th to today, October 30th. The rules require entities that provide routing, ALI or ANI services directly to a Public Safety Answering Point to certify annually that they have complied with FCC rules to promote reliability by ensuring (i) diversity in critical 911 circuits, (ii) adequate backup power in certain central offices, and (iii) they can diversely monitor their 911 network. For more information, please contact Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239).
Spectrum Frontiers Proceeding
At the November Open Meeting, the agency will consider a Second Report and Order in its Spectrum Frontiers proceeding. If adopted, it would introduce an additional 1,700 MHz of spectrum in bands above 24 GHz for flexible terrestrial use. For more information, please contact Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239).
Agenda Released for 800 MHz Band Forum
The FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB), Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB), and the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) released an agenda for a public forum to discuss the coexistence of commercial wireless service licenses and public safety licenses in the 800 MHz band. The forum will take place at the FCC’s headquarters on Monday, November 6, 2017. It will include panel discussions about how 800 MHz rebanding has helped alleviate interference and ways to improve coexistence among wireless carriers and public safety entities. For more information, please contact Greg Kunkle (kunkle@khlaw.com; 202.434.4178).
Broadband Communities: 2017 Economic Development Conference
Broadband Communities Magazine will hold its 2017 Economic Development Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on November 7-9. Keller and Heckman Partners Doug Jarrett and Greg Kunkle will lead a tutorial entitled, “Get Acquainted with the CAF II Reverse Auction.”
API Cybersecurity Conference
The American Petroleum Institute will hold its 12th Annual Cybersecurity Conference in The Woodlands, TX on November 7. Keller and Heckman Partner Tracy Marshall will be speaking on a Legal Panel.
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Keller and Heckman LLP's Telecom Business Alert is a complimentary weekly electronic update created by the Telecommunications Practice Group of Keller and Heckman LLP. All articles, videos, and quotations are on topics of general interest and do not constitute legal advice for particularized facts. Keller and Heckman LLP's Telecom Business Alert © 2017. All rights reserved. Articles may be copied with attribution. To sign up for our weekly alert, please send us an email at telecomalert@khlaw.com and provide us with your name and email. Please follow us on Twitter at @KHtelecom.