DA 05-1637

Released: June 9, 2005

**OET seeks comment on proposal by united telecom counCil to serve as
database manager for access broadband over power line systems**

**(ET Docket No. 04-37)**

**Comment Date: June 27, 2005**

**Reply Comment Date: July 5, 2005**

By this Public Notice, the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET)
seeks comment on a letter submitted by the United Telecom Council (UTC)
in which it proposes to serve as the Access Broadband over Power Line
(Access BPL) database manager, pursuant to Section 15.615(a)‑(e) of the
Commission's rules.

***Background information***. On October 14, 2004, the Commission
adopted a *Report and Order* in the above proceeding, amending Part 15
of the rules to establish specific interference mitigation requirements
for Access BPL systems.[^1] Access BPL systems use existing electrical
power lines as a transmission medium to convey information by coupling
radio frequency (RF) energy onto the medium voltage delivery power
lines. Because Access BPL equipment injects RF into unshielded, unpaired
medium voltage lines, the technology raises concerns of potential
interference with incumbent users of the spectrum, and heightens the
need for agile and timely interference mitigation techniques. The
Commission adopted, *inter alia,* a framework that requires the BPL
industry to establish within 180 days from publication of the *Report
and Order* in the *Federal Register* a centralized publicly accessible
Access BPL notification database. The Commission directed that the
database manager would be chosen by the BPL industry.

On May 17, 2005, the UTC submitted a letter notifying the Commission
that it has designed and implemented a database that will enable Access
BPL operators to comply with the notification requirements of Section
15.615(a)-(e) of the Commission's rules. UTC stated that it has
beta‑tested the database with BPL operators that are members of UTC. UTC
attached to its letter a petition signed by thirty‑five Access BPL
companies indicating their support for UTC to serve as the Access BPL
database manager.[^2]

***Database Manager Duties and Responsibilities.*** Pursuant to the
*Report and Order*, the BPL industry must establish, within 180 days
from publication of the item in the *Federal Register*, a centralized
publicly accessible notification database.[^3] The Database Manager is
required to:

1)  Maintain complete, accurate and timely records of FCC-mandated
    information. The mandated information that Access BPL operators must
    provide the BPL industry-sponsored database manager include:

    a.  the name of the Access BPL provider;

    b.  the frequencies of the Access BPL operation;

    c.  the postal zip codes served by the specific Access BPL
        operation;

    d.  the manufacturer and type of Access BPL equipment being deployed
        (i.e., FCC ID);

    e.  point of contact information (both telephone and e-mail address)
        for interference inquiries and resolution; and

    f.  the proposed/or actual date of Access BPL operation

2)  Enter the above information received from Access BPL operators into
    the database within 3 business days of receipt.

3)  Provide the National Telecommunications Information Administration
    (NTIA), the Commission and any member of the public access to the
    database free of charge and at all times.

***Comments.*** Pursuant to Sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the
Commission\'s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may
file comments on or before **June 27, 2005**, and reply comments on or
before **July 5, 2005**. Comments may be filed using the Commission\'s
Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies.
[See]{.underline} [Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking
Proceedings]{.underline}, 63 Fed. Reg. 24121 (1998).

For *ex parte* purposes, this proceeding will be treated as a
\"permit-but-disclose\" proceeding, in accordance with Section 1.1200(a)
of the Commission\'s rules, and is subject to the requirements under
Section 1.1206(b) of the rules. All comments will be available for
public inspection.

Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via
the Internet to http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html. Generally, only one
copy of an electronic submission must be filed. In completing the
transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, U.S.
Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket **\[ET Docket
No. 04-37\]**. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet
e-mail. To get filing instructions for e-mail comments, commenters
should send an e-mail to ecfs@fcc.gov, and should include the following
words in the body of the message, \"get form \<your e-mail address.\" A
sample form and directions will be sent in reply. Parties who choose to
file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing.

Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial
overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service
mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U.S. Postal
Service mail). The Commission\'s contractor, Natek, Inc., will receive
hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the
Commission\'s Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Suite 110,
Washington, D.C. 20002. The filing hours at this location are 8:00 a.m.
to 7:00 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands
or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the
building. Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive,
Capitol Heights, MD 20743. U.S. Postal Service first-class mail, Express
Mail, and Priority Mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW,
Washington, D.C. 20554.

The full text of the UTC letter is available for inspection and copying
during normal business hours in Room CY-A257, 445 12^th^ Street, SW,
Washington, D.C., and may also be purchased from the Commission\'s
duplication contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., (800) 378-3160.

By the Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology.

Office of Engineering and Technology contact: Anh Wride at (202)
418-0577.

-FCC-

[^1]: *See Amendment of Part 15 regarding new requirements and
    measurement guidelines for Access Broadband over Power Line Systems*
    and *In the Matter of Carrier Current Systems, including Broadband
    over Power Line Systems*, *Report and Order* in ET Docket Nos. 04-37
    and 03-104, 19 FCC Rcd 21265 (2004), 70 FR 1360, January 7, 2005.

[^2]: *See* Letter from Bill Moroney, UTC, to Ed Thomas, Chief of the
    Commission's Office of Engineering and Technology, filed May 17,
    2005.

[^3]: *See Report and Order, ¶*84.