PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 DA 14-721 May 27, 2014 PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU ANNOUNCES REGION 48 (U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS) 700 MHZ REGIONAL PLANNING COMMITTEE AND 800 MHZ NPSPAC REGIONAL PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETINGS PR Docket No. 92-105 and WT Docket No. 02-378 The Region 48 (U.S. Virgin Islands) 1 700 MHz 2 Public Safety Regional Planning Committee Convener announces the initial meeting of the Region 48 700 MHz Public Safety Regional Planning Committee (RPC), and a meeting for the 800 MHz NPSPAC 3 RPC. The meetings will be held on Friday, July 18, 2014, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the Bureau of Information Technology Branch offices on the islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas with video conferencing available between the two facilities at the following locations: ? 9059 East Castle Coakley, Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00820 ? 8000 Nisky Center, Suite 600, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, VI 00802 The purpose of the meeting is to organize the Region 48 700 MHz band RPC. The agenda for the 700 MHz RPC meeting includes: 1 Region 48 (U.S. Virgin Islands) 700 MHz regional planning area consists of the islands of St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas. 2 The 700 MHz Public Safety General Use spectrum in the 769-775/799-805 MHz band is administered by regional planning committees and is licensed for public safety services on a site-by-site basis in accordance with the relevant Commission-approved regional and frequency coordination. 3 In accordance with the National Public Safety Plan, each region is responsible for planning its use of the public safety radio frequency spectrum (initially allocated in the 821-824/866-869 segment). See 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, Report and Order, General Docket No. 87-112, 3 FCC Rcd 905 (1987). The Commission modified the band in the Rebanding proceeding by shifting the NPSPAC band down 15 megahertz to 806-809/851-854 MHz, Improving Public Safety Communications in the 800 MHz Band, WT Docket No. 02-55, Report and Order, Fifth Report and Order, Fourth Memorandum Opinion and Order, and Order, 19 FCC Rcd 14969 (2004). The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, on delegated authority, adopted a new 800 MHz band plan for Region 48, including the rebanded NPSPAC band allocation. See Improving Public Safety Communications in the 800 MHz Band, WT Docket No. 02-55, Fourth Report and Order, 26 FCC Rcd 1937 (PSHSB 2011). News media information 202 / 418-0500 TTY 202 / 418-2555 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov 2? Welcome and introductions ? Overview of the 700 MHz regional planning process 4 ? 700 MHz broadband update ? Election of officers ? Adjournment Immediately following the 700 MHz RPC meeting, the 800 MHz RPC meeting will commence. The agenda for the 800 MHz RPC meeting includes: ? Welcome and introductions ? Rebanding ? Open discussion for any Region 48 Plan 5 modifications o Channel loading o FCC license filing procedures o Use of the Computerized Allotment and Pre-coordination Resource and Database (CAPRAD) 6 o Frequency give back o ITAC Update: 8CALL/8TAC mutual aid and interoperability update o Discussion of other possible changes to the 800 MHz NPSPAC Plan o Plan modification voting ? Adjournment The Region 48 700 MHz and 800 MHz NSPAC Public Safety RPC meetings are open to the public. All eligible public safety providers in Region 48 may utilize these frequencies. It is essential that eligible public safety agencies in all areas of government, including state, municipality, county, Native American Tribal, and non-governmental organizations eligible under Section 90.523 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. § 90.523, be represented in order to ensure that each agency’s future spectrum needs are considered in the allocation process. Administrators who are not oriented in the communications field should delegate someone with this knowledge to attend, participate, and represent their agency’s needs. All interested parties wishing to participate in planning for the use of public safety spectrum in the 700 MHz and 800 MHz bands within Region 48 should plan to attend. For further information, please contact: 4 See 47 C.F.R. § 90.527; see also Development of Operational, Technical and Spectrum Requirements for Meeting Federal, State and Local Public Safety Agency Communication Requirements Through the Year 2010, WT Docket No. 96-86, First Report and Order and Third Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 14 FCC Rcd 152 (1998); Second Memorandum Opinion and Order, 15 FCC Rcd 16844 (2000). In 2007, the Commission consolidated the 700 MHz narrowband spectrum at 769-775/799-805 MHz and 763-768/793-798 MHz in order to accommodate the 700 MHz public safety broadband allocation. See Implementing a Nationwide, Broadband, Interoperable Public Safety Network in the 700 MHz Band; Development of Operational, Technical and Spectrum Requirements for Meeting Federal, State and Local Public Safety Communications Requirements Through the Year 2010, PS Docket No. 06- 229, WT Docket No. 96-86, Second Report and Order, 22 FCC Rcd 15289 (2007). 5 The Region 48 800 MHz NPSPAC Plan was approved by the Commission’s Private Radio Bureau on June 23, 1993, see In the Matter of Virgin Islands Public Safety Plan, Order, 8 FCC Rcd. 4215 (PRB 1993). A copy of the Order and Plan are viewable via the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System at http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=1185160001 (Order). http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=1136740001 (Plan pages 1-25) and, http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=1136740002 (Plan pages 26-29). 6 CAPRAD is a public safety spectrum management tool available at http://caprad.org/cp/index.jsp. 3Reuben D. Molloy, MBA Convener, Region 48 700 MHz Public Safety RPC and, Chair, 800 MHz NPSPAC RPC Chief Technology Officer Office of the Governor Director, Bureau of Information Technology (340) 713-0354 (office) (340) 719-1623 (fax) Reuben.molloy@bit.vi.gov -FCC-