Railroads, Others Seek Changes to Proposal for Broadband in 900 MHz
The Association of American Railroads asked for changes to the FCC’s draft 900 MHz order, set for a commissioner vote May 13 (see 2004210055). The American Petroleum Institute also plans to seek changes . Gogo raised interference concerns. The order would reallocate a 6 MHz swath to broadband while keeping 4 MHz for narrowband.
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The AAR questions are tied to its December filing. A footnote in the draft order suggested AAR said the national rail network would transition to wideband within five years, AAR said in a filing posted Friday in docket 17-200. AAR only said, “the railroads would need at least five years to complete a transition off all six current channel pairs in all parts of the country,” it told the FCC.
The association made clear last year “until a railroad converts its operations to wideband in a particular area, it must maintain the option to operate on narrowband channels,” the filing said. AAR raised band plan questions. The draft indicates the group's “new paired 125 kilohertz of spectrum will be located at 896-896.125/935-935.125 MHz,” the group said: “This seems to ignore the fact that the 900 MHz band contains a guard band of 6.25 kilohertz at either end of the band.” AAR officials spoke with Wireless Bureau staff.
“AAR has been pleased with how the FCC has handled this proceeding,” a spokesperson emailed: The points in the filing “were simply clarifications to correct the draft order.”
API raised concerns in a call with an aide to Chairman Ajit Pai. The group plans recommendations, including “eliminating constraints in the Draft Order on the amount of spectrum a broadband licensee may offer an incumbent to relocate,” it said: “The Commission should enable full market-driven flexibility in negotiations rather than setting artificial limits.” API will also seek additional protections for the band.
Address the risk of harmful interference to Gogo operations in the adjacent-band air-ground radiotelephone service, representatives told Wireless Bureau staff in a call. The final order “should instruct 900 MHz broadband licensees to coordinate their operations with Gogo to prevent potential interference and to resolve harmful interference should it occur,” said the inflight internet and entertainment provider.
CEO Morgan O’Brien and other Anterix officials spoke with aides to Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Geoffrey Starks to urge approval. Anterix is a lead advocate of allowing broadband in 900 MHz and O’Brien expressed general enthusiasm on an investors call last month (see 2004230038). The company discussed “the careful balance that the item achieves in protecting incumbents in the band while continuing the Commission’s efforts to drive additional spectrum to market to support Industrial 5G.” It said many utilities welcome the proposal (see here, here and here).
“Anterix appreciates that 900 MHz incumbents and even entities such as Gogo whose spectrum is not adjacent to this allocation want to ensure that their operations receive appropriate protection during and after the transition to broadband,” an Anterix spokesperson emailed: To the extent the order “would benefit from clarification on the points," the representative said, "Anterix is confident the FCC will give the requests due consideration.”