FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: News Media Contact:

January 11, 2001 Mark Rubin: 202-418-2924

E-mail: [mru](mailto:mrubin@fcc.gov)bin@fcc.gov

## 

## FCC ADOPTS INTEROPERABILITY STANDARD 

## TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS 

## BETWEEN DIFFERENT AGENCIES

Washington, DC - The Federal Communications Commission adopted a *Fourth
Report and Order* (*Fourth R&O) and Fifth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(Fifth Notice)* today, establishing a framework and issuing guidance
that will allow public safety officials throughout the country to
communicate with each other on designated *interoperability* channels in
the 700 MHz band. This interoperability is essential when different
public safety agencies respond to emergencies using
otherwise-incompatible equipment. The Commission has long noted that the
inability of different public safety agencies to efficiently communicate
with one another was a concern for the public safety community.
Establishing rules for the interoperability channels on the 700 MHz band
will help prevent a physical disaster from becoming a communications
disaster.

In the *Fourth R&O*, the Commission adopted Project 25 Phase I as the
voice standard for communications on the 700 MHz band interoperability
channels, which are channels specifically set aside to allow different
public safety entities to communicate with one another. The Public
Safety National Coordination Committee (NCC), a group chartered under
the Federal Advisory Committee Act to advise the Commission on various
issues related to the 700 MHz public safety band, recommended the
adoption of the Project 25 Phase I standard. This standard will ensure
that all radios with voice capability on the 700 MHz band will have the
ability to communicate with each other on designated interoperability
channels. The Commission also adopted the data standard incorporated in
the Project 25 suite of standards for data communications on the 700 MHz
band interoperability channels. These channels will allow public safety
entities, such as police and fire departments, to send status messages
or short E-mails to one another. By adopting the Project 25 Phase I
standard, the Commission promotes the development of public safety
equipment in the 700 MHz band and facilitates the effective use of that
band by public safety entities.

In a related matter, in the *Fifth Notice*, the Commission seeks comment
on the issue of migration to an efficiency standard of one voice path
per 6.25 kHz on the General Use channels. Because the Commission
believes that eventual adoption of such an efficiency standard would be
in the public interest, it seeks further comment on the proper migration
path to a 6.25 kHz efficiency standard. To encourage early use of the
700 MHz spectrum, the Commission concluded in the *Fourth R&O* that (1)
the earliest date the Commission would require 6.25 kHz technology would
be December 31, 2005, (2) any 12.5 kHz-based systems constructed and
placed in operation prior to December 31, 2005 will be able to continue
to purchase and deploy 12.5 kHz equipment for system expansion or
maintenance, and (3) any 12.5 kHz systems constructed and placed in
operation prior to December 31, 2005 will not be required to cease
operations and convert to 6.25 kHz technology prior to December 31,
2015, at the earliest.

The Commission also took other actions to facilitate interoperability in
the 700 MHz band. Given the primary role the states have in responding
to disaster situations, the Commission concluded that states should
develop and administer plans for using the interoperability channels. In
the event a state is unable to develop and administer an
interoperability plan, the state may delegate this function to the 700
MHz band Regional Planning Committee (RPC). The Commission also
established other technical and operational requirements for the 700 MHz
spectrum.

Action by the Commission January 11, 2001, by Fourth Report and Order
and Fifth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 01-10). Chairman Kennard,
Commissioners Ness, Furchtgott-Roth, Powell, and Tristani.

Staff contact: John Schauble at (202) 418-0797, e-mail:
[jschaubl@fcc.gov](../jschaubl@fcc.gov)

WT Docket No. 96-86

\- FCC -