FCC Wants Input on APCO Petition for Changes to 4.9 GHz Rules
The FCC asked for comment Wednesday on a petition for rulemaking that the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) filed asking the agency to modify the power maximum effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) limits for the 4.9 GHz band. The changes are aimed at allowing the band to be used more effectively for 5G. In October, a unanimous FCC changed the rules for the public-safety spectrum, giving FirstNet access to the band (see 2410220027). Comments are due April 25, replies May 12, in docket 07-100.
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APCO asked the FCC to modify the Part 90 power limits and out-of-band emissions limits “to more closely align with the Commission’s part 27 rules governing mobile broadband network deployment,” said a notice from the Public Safety and Wireless bureaus. APCO asked that the maximum EIRP for base stations in the band be set at 3,280 watts/MHz, while mobile and portable stations in the band be limited to 2 watts EIRP, the bureaus said.
APCO also requested that base stations be limited to a maximum conducted output power of emissions outside the licensee’s authorized bandwidth of -13 dBm/MHz and that the commission limit the power flux density at any location on the border of a licensee’s service area to -76 dBm/m2/MHz, measured at 1.5 meters above ground, the bureaus said.
The Coalition for Emergency Response and Critical Infrastructure is challenging the October order and the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance is protesting aspects of it in petitions for review before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (see 2412040043).