# Presentation: 676158

## 800 MHz Rebanding:An Overview 

**David Furth**
**Associate Bureau Chief**
**Public Safety and  Homeland Security Bureau**
**March 21, 2007**

## Outline

- How Did We Get Here?
- The Interference Problem
- The Rulemaking
- The Transition
- What’s Next?

## History of the 800 MHz Band

- Established in the 1970s for land mobile use (reallocated from UHF-TV)
- Intended to relieve crowding of lower band land mobile frequencies
- Channels allocated for mixture of services
- Public Safety
- Business Radio
- Industrial/Land Transportation (e.g., utilities)
- Specialized Mobile Radio (commercial service)

## 800 MHz -- Old Band Plan

**Channels 1-120**
**SMR/General Category**

**SMR, B/ILT, Public Safety Interleaved**

**ESMR**

- 806

- 809.75

- 821

- 816

- 824

- 851

- 854.75

- 866

- 861

- 869

**NPSPAC**
**(Public Safety)**

- _NPSPAC - 6 MHz _
- 225 Channels @ 12.5 kHz spacing
- 5 Channels @ 25 kHz spacing
- 5 Mutual Aid Channels

- _ESMR/Upper 200 – 10 MHz _
- 200 Channels
- Licensed by EA
- A few non-EA incumbents remain; most were relocated or acquired in late 1990s.

- _SMR/General Category -7.5 MHz_
- 150 Channels
- Licensed by EA Blocks of 25 channels (SMR)
- Some Incumbent Operators Remain (includes Business, I/LT, and Public Safety)

- _Interleaved Spectrum -12.5 MHz_
- 250 Channels
- 80 SMR Channels
- (Licensed by EA, Some Incumbent Operators Remain)
- 70 Public Safety Channels
- 50 Business Channels
- 50 Industrial/Land Transportation Channels

**Cellular **
**(50 MHz)**

**700 MHz **
**Public Safety**
**(24 MHz)**

- 746

- 792

- 776

- 762

- 747

- 777

- 764

- 806

- 824

- 849

- 851

**ATG **

- D

- C

- B

- A

- A

- B

- B

- 800 MHz
- Band

- = 700 MHz Guard Band

- 894

**Upper 700 MHz**
**Commercial**
**(30 MHz)**

- 794

- 896

- A

## Outline

- How Did We Get Here?
- The Interference Problem
- The Rulemaking
- The Transition
- What’s Next?

## Interference Problem

- Mid-1990s – Nextel starts to deploy cellular-architecture “ESMR” in the 800 MHz band
- Public safety also expands into 800 MHz as lower bands grow congested
- Late 1990s -- 800 MHz public safety systems encounter increasing interference and “dead zones”
- Problem traced to Nextel as well as cellular carriers operating in adjacent spectrum

## Interference Problem

- Caused by incompatible system architecture on adjacent channels
- Public safety systems use “high-site” architecture -- small number of base stations with high antennas to maximize signal propagation
- Commercial systems use “low-site” cellular architecture --  numerous cells with low antennas to allow frequency reuse
- Interference occurs when a mobile user on a high-site system moves far from its own base station but near a low-site commercial base station
- Interleaved band plan exacerbates problem

## Near/Far Problem

**10 MILES**

**2500**
**FEET**

- CMRSCellSite

- Public Safety BaseStation

**Strong signal from cell site**

**Result: Signal from cell site overloads public safety handset **

**Weak signal **
**from public safety base station**

- “Near/far” problem – First responder is _near_ the CMRS cell site and _far_ from its own base station

## Public Safety Dead Spots

- +
**PUBLIC****SAFETY****STATION**

- +

- Dead spots near CMRS cell
- sites – first responders cannot hear public safety
- communications

-  +

- +

## Outline

- How Did We Get Here?
- The Interference Problem
- The Rulemaking
- The Transition
- What’s Next?

## Early Proposals

- Best Practices Guide (2000) -- voluntary  measures to reduce interference
- Nextel White Paper (2001) – proposes rebanding as a solution
- 800 MHz NPRM (2002) – seeks comment on rebanding and non-rebanding alternatives
- “Consensus Proposal” (2002) – Revised rebanding plan proposed by coalition of 800 MHz stakeholders, including Nextel and several public safety organizations

## 800 MHz Report and Order

- Adopted in July 2004
- Commission adopts a two-pronged solution to the interference problem
- New rules for protection of public safety systems from interference by commercial systems
- Rebanding to separate public safety and other high-site systems from cellular systems.
- Commission’s rebanding plan incorporates some elements of the Consensus Proposal but also has new and additional elements

## 800 MHz -- Old Band Plan

**Channels 1-120**
**SMR/General Category**

**SMR, B/ILT, Public Safety Interleaved**

**ESMR**

- 806

- 809.75

- 821

- 816

- 824

- 851

- 854.75

- 866

- 861

- 869

**NPSPAC**
**(Public Safety)**

- _NPSPAC - 6 MHz _
- 225 Channels @ 12.5 kHz spacing
- 5 Channels @ 25 kHz spacing
- 5 Mutual Aid Channels

- _ESMR/Upper 200 – 10 MHz _
- 200 Channels
- Licensed by EA
- A few non-EA incumbents remain; most were relocated or acquired in late 1990s.

- _SMR/General Category -7.5 MHz_
- 150 Channels
- Licensed by EA Blocks of 25 channels (SMR)
- Some Incumbent Operators Remain (includes Business, I/LT, and Public Safety)

- _Interleaved Spectrum -12.5 MHz_
- 250 Channels
- 80 SMR Channels
- (Licensed by EA, Some Incumbent Operators Remain)
- 70 Public Safety Channels
- 50 Business Channels
- 50 Industrial/Land Transportation Channels

**Cellular **
**(50 MHz)**

**700 MHz **
**Public Safety**
**(24 MHz)**

- 746

- 792

- 776

- 762

- 747

- 777

- 764

- 806

- 824

- 849

- 851

**ATG **

- D

- C

- B

- A

- A

- B

- B

- 800 MHz
- Band

- = 700 MHz Guard Band

- 894

**Upper 700 MHz**
**Commercial**
**(30 MHz)**

- 794

- 896

- A

## 800 MHz – New Band Plan

- 862

**Public Safety**
**B/ILT**
**Non-Cellular SMR**

- Expansion  Band

**Cellular  **

**700 MHz **
**Public Safety**

- 746

- 792

- 776

- 762

- 747

- 777

- 764

- 806

- 824

- 849

- 851

**ATG **

- D

- C

- B

- A

- A

- B

- B

- 800 MHz
- Band

- = 700 MHz Guard Band

- 894

**Upper 700 MHz**
**Commercial**

- 794

- 896

- A

- 806

- 809

- 817

- 824

- 851

- 854

- 866

- 869

- 815

- 816

- 862

- 854

- 866

- 861

- 869

**NPSPAC**
**(Public Safety)**

**ESMR**

- Guard  Band

- 860

- Nextel and other ESMRs occupy upper band segment, adjacent to Cellular band
- Public safety and other high-site systems occupy lower band segment, adjacent to 700 MHz public safety
- Guard Band and Expansion Band serve as buffers

## Post-Rebanding – More Public Safety Spectrum

**SMR, B/ILT, Public Safety Interleaved**

**ESMR**

**NPSPAC**
**(Public Safety)**

- Guard  Band

- Expansion  Band

- Interleaved spectrum vacated by Nextel is available exclusively to public safety for 3 years
- After 3 years, vacated spectrum is also opened to Critical Infrastructure for an additional 2 years
- Other interleaved spectrum available on pool channel basis

## 800 MHz Report and Order

- Awards 10 MHz of spectrum in the 1.9 GHz band to Nextel
- Spectrum is compensation for Nextel paying relocation costs and relinquishing a portion of its 800 MHz spectrum to benefit public safety.
- Nextel must clear Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS) licensees from the 1.9 GHz band
- Requires Nextel to make a “windfall” payment to the U.S. Treasury if value of the 1.9 GHz spectrum (calculated at $4.8 billion) is greater than:
- Relocation costs paid by Nextel, plus
- Value of Nextel’s relinquished 800 MHz spectrum

## 800 MHz Report and Order

- Requires Nextel to pay all relocation costs incurred by public safety and other 800 MHz incumbents
- Costs must be reasonable, but no ceiling on total amount
- Relocating licensees must receive “comparable facilities”
- Provides for a 36-month transition to the new band plan
- Provides for creation of the 800 MHz Transition Administrator (TA) to administer the transition and audit expenditures

## Subsequent Orders

- _800 MHz Supplemental Order_ (adopted December 2004)
- Modified the 18-month benchmark requiring Nextel to relocate Channel 1-120 licensees
- Increased the credit to Nextel for relinquishing 800 MHz spectrum
- _800 MHz Reconsideration Order_ (adopted October 2005)
- Modified eligibility rules for relocating to the ESMR band
- Affirmed Commission’s authority to award the 1.9 GHz spectrum to Nextel

## Preparation for Transition

- Sept-Oct 2004 -- Transition Administrator selected
- January 2005 -- TA develops region-by-region rebanding schedule
- February 2005 -- Nextel accepts 800 MHz R&O conditions (Sprint affirms post-merger)
- March 2005 – WTB approves schedule
- June 2005 – Transition begins

## Outline

- How Did We Get Here?
- The Interference Problem
- The Rulemaking
- The Transition
- What’s Next?

## Transition Process

- The 800 MHz R&O established a 36-month transition process
- The 36-month clock started on June 27, 2005, and ends on June 26, 2008
- Transition is divided into two stages
- Stage 1 – Relocation of Channels 1-120
- Stage 2 – Relocation of NPSPAC
- Transition is divided into four geographic waves

## Rebanding – Stage 1

**Channels 1-120 -- SMR/General Category**

**SMR, B/ILT, Public Safety Interleaved**

**ESMR**

**NPSPAC**
**(Public Safety)**

- Guard  Band

- Expansion  Band

- Channel 1-120 Non-ESMR systems move to the Interleaved Band (Nextel vacates interleaved channels)
- Channel 1-120 ESMR Systems (non-Nextel) move to the ESMR Band
- Expansion and Guard Bands cleared
- Nextel can remain in the Non-ESMR spectrum until Phase II

## Rebanding – Stage 2

**Channels 1-120**
**SMR/General Category**

**SMR, B/ILT, Public Safety Interleaved**

**ESMR**

**NPSPAC**
**(Public Safety)**

- Guard  Band

- Expansion  Band

- Nextel vacates Channels 1-120
- NPSPAC licensees move down 15 megahertz to new NPSPAC Band
- Nextel moves into old NPSPAC Band
- Nextel vacates remaining channels in Interleaved Band

## Transition Waves 1-4

## Negotiations and Mediation

- Nextel and each licensee must negotiate a Frequency Relocation Agreement (FRA)
- Time period for negotiations
- 3-month voluntary negotiation period
- 3-month mandatory negotiation period
- Mediation
- If negotiations fail, Nextel and the licensee enter into a 30 working-day mediation period with a TA-designated mediator
- Mediation can be extended under some circumstances
- Referral to PSHSB
- If the parties fail to reach a mediated agreement, the TA refers the case to PSHSB, which has delegated authority under the *800 MHz R&O *to rule on disputed issues *de novo*

## Negotiation Periods 

| Waves (in chronological  order) | No.  of Licensees | Negotiation Period Begins  | Mediation Begins |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wave 1 (1-120) | 383 | 6/27/05 | 12/27/05 |
| Wave 2 (1-120) | 234 | 10/3/05 | 4/3/06 |
| Wave 3 (1-120) | 301 | 1/3/06 | 7/3/06 |
| Wave 1 (NPSPAC) | 401 | 2/1/06 | 11/1/06 |
| Wave 4 (1-120) | 160 | 7/3/06 | 4/3/07 (Postponed) |
| Wave 2 (NPSPAC) | 289 | 8/1/06 | 2/1/07 |
| Wave 3 (NPSPAC) | 237 | 11/1/06 | 5/1/07 |
| Wave 4 (NPSPAC) | 196 | 2/1/07   | 8/1/07 |

## Stage 1 (Channels 1-120) Relocation Progress

- Substantial progress has been made in Waves 1-3 negotiations and mediations
- Physical relocation of Channel 1-120 incumbents is now under way
- Small number of cases remain open
- Some licensees with both Channel 1-120 and NPSPAC systems want to relocate all in Stage 2

## Stage 2 (NPSPAC) Relocation Progress

- More complex and time-consuming than Stage 1
- NPSPAC has more large, complex public safety systems, more interoperability relationships among licensees
- Significant time needed for relocation planning by NPSPAC licensees
- Large number of cases in extended mediation

## Wave 4 Border Issues

## Wave 4 Border Issues

- Rebanding in Wave 4 border regions must conform to cross-border spectrum agreements with Canada and Mexico
- Existing bilateral agreements limit U.S. access to the 800 MHz band in border areas
- Modifications to agreements are needed for Wave 4 band plan to be consistent with rest of U.S.
- Commission staff is discussing possible changes to existing agreements with Canadian and Mexican regulators
- Working in coordination with State Department
- Bureau has extended Wave 4 timeline to allow time for international issues to be resolved

## PSHSB Role in Rebanding

- Rebanding implementation is a major priority for PSHSB
- Bureau has delegated authority to rule on disputed issues de novo
- Has issued five orders in individual cases to date
- Has issued orders and PNs on issues affecting multiple cases (e.g., ability of public safety licensees to exchange information regarding negotiations with Nextel)
- Bureau works closely with all major stakeholders to track progress and resolve  issues informally

## Outline

- How Did We Get Here?
- The Interference Problem
- The Rulemaking
- The Transition
- What’s Next?

## What’s Next

- Pending Reconsideration Petitions
- Stage 2 Scheduling Issues
- Additional Mediation Cases
- Negotiations with Canada and Mexico
- Nextel Network Cost Issues
- Post-Rebanding Licensing Issues