*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 11382.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 DA 01- 1738 WIRELESS TELECOM ACTION July 26, 2001 COMMENTS INVITED ON ARIZONA (REGION 3) PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN AMENDMENT (PR DOCKET NO. 91- 143) Comment Date: August 27, 2001 Reply Date: September 11, 2001 On May 25, 2001, we received an amendment request from the Arizona (Region 3) Regional Review Committee proposing to amend its 821- 824/ 866- 869 MHz (800 MHz) Public Safety Plan. In accordance with the Public Safety National Plan, each region is responsible for planning its use of public safety radio frequency spectrum in the 800 MHz bands. 1 The Public Safety Plan for Region 3 governs the use of 800 MHz spectrum assignments within Arizona. The Plan was adopted by the Commission on September 4, 1991, 2 subsequently revised by letter on May 24, 1995, and by public notice on November 6, 1998. 3 The instant plan amendment request includes a revision of the allocation of 800 MHz frequencies to accommodate both current, wide- band analog users and new, narrow- band digital users. This proposal would provide additional channels for users in Maricopa County while assuring that there are no harmful effects to other Arizona users. With the exception of the relocation of Arizona Mutual Aid Channel 6, there are no changes outside of Maricopa County. The proposal separates the channel allocations in Maricopa County into three partitions. x 16 kHz analog channels at the low and high end of the allocated channels for use in the Maricopa County network. x 12.5 kHz digital channels in the middle of the allocated channels for use in the Phoenix- Mesa metropolitan area. x Mutual aid channels. The effect of the partitioning moves the wideband analog channels away from the narrowband digital channels in the Phoenix- Mesa area. With the wideband channels split between the ends of the band, they 1 Development and Implementation of a Public Safety National Plan and Amendment of Part 90 to Establish Service Rules and Technical Standards for Use of the 821- 824/ 866- 869 MHz Bands by the Public Safety Services, GN Docket No. 87- 112, Report and Order, 3 FCC Rcd 905 (1987). 2 Arizona Public Safety Plan, PR Docket No. 91- 143, Order, 6 FCC Rcd 5335 (PRB 1991). 3 Arizona (Region 3) Public Safety Committee Receives Approval For Minor Amendment To Its Regional Public Safety Plan, PR Docket No. 91- 143, Public Notice, 13 FCC Rcd 22460 (WTB 1998). News media information 202 / 418- 0500 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 TTY 202 / 418- 2555 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov ftp. fcc. gov 1 have less adjacent channel interference with themselves and no interference with the narrowband channels, thus generating more usable channels. With the proposed allocation, the number of narrow band channels available in the Phoenix- Mesa area increases from 91 to 123 and the number of wideband channels increases from 59 t o 66. Also, t he Arizona Region int eroperabilit y Channel 6 would move from channel 603 to channel 602, and use of this channel would be restricted to prevent interference to an existing station in Southern California, Region 5. The amendment request includes concurrences from the surrounding Regions 5, 4 7, 5 27, 6 29 7 and 41. 8 The Commission is soliciting comments from the public before taking action on this proposed plan amendment. Copies of the Region 3 amendment request may be viewed at the Commission’s Reference Information Center, 445 12 th Street, S. W., Room CY- A257, Washington, D. C. 20554. Copies may also be obtained from the Commission’s copy contractor, International Transcriptions Services, (ITS), which is located at 1231 20 th St., N. W., Washington, D. C. ITS may be contacted by phone at (202) 857- 3800. The Region 3 amendment request may also be viewed on- line by accessing the Commission’s Electronic Comments Filing System (ECFS) at http:// izzy. fcc. gov/ prod/ ecfs/ s a/ and initiating a search of records for WT Docket Number 91- 143. Interested parties may file comments to the proposed amendment on or before August 27, 2001, and reply comments on or before September 11, 2001. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Elect ronic Comment Filing Syst em (ECFS), see Elect ronic Filing of Document s in Rulemaking Proceedings, Report and Order, GC Docket No. 97- 113, 13 FCC Rcd 11322 (1998), or by filing paper copies. Comment ers who submit by paper should send an original and five copies of comments to the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12 th St., S. W., Room TW- A325, Washington, D. C. 20554. Commenters should clearly identify all comments and reply comments, whether submitted electronically or as paper copies, as submissions to WT Docket 91- 143 Region 3 Public Safety Plan amendment request. Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to . Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. In completing the transmittal screen, comment ers should include their full name, Post al Service mailing address, and t he applicable docket or rulemaking number. Part ies may also submit an elect ronic comment by Int ernet e- mail. To get filing instructions for e- mail comments, commenters should send e- mails to ecfs@ fcc. gov, and should include the following words in the body of the message, "get form ." A sample form and directions will be sent in reply. Questions regarding this public notice may be directed to Ms. Joy Alford, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418- 0694, TTY (202) 418- 7233, or via email at jalford@ fcc. gov. – FCC – 4 Adjoining Region 5 encompasses southern California. 5 Adjoining Region 7 encompasses the State of Colorado. 6 Adjoining Region 27 encompasses the State of Nevada. 7 Adjoining Region 29 encompasses the State of New Mexico. 8 Adjoining Region 41 encompasses the State of Utah. 2