Federal Communications Commission DA 18-770 DA 18-770 Released: July 25, 2018 THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON A REQUEST BY LOJACK CORPORATION TO MODIFY FIFTY-THREE LICENSES TO COMPLY WITH THE COMMISSION’S NARROWBANDING REQUIREMENT Comment Date: August 24, 2018 Reply Comment Date: September 10, 2018 The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on a request by LoJack Corporation (LoJack) to have the Bureau modify fifty-three licenses, which comprise its national stolen vehicle recovery system (SVRS), to comply with the Commission’s narrowbanding requirements. Letter from Henry Goldberg, Attorney for LoJack Corporation, to Tracy Simmons, Branch Chief, Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Apr. 2, 2018, (LoJack Request). Included in its request is a list of SVRS licensees and authorizations, an engineering certification, and channel 7 interference studies. See also 47 CFR § 90.20(e)(6) (discussing stolen vehicle recovery systems). LoJack requests that the Commission allow it to file a “master” narrowband modification application on behalf of all police agencies that operate LoJack systems. LoJack submits that granting its request would reduce burdens on the licensees and the Commission, and allow a uniform consolidation across the SVRS system. LoJack Request at 2. In March 2005, the Commission’s instituted narrowbanding of the Private Land Mobile Radio (PLMR) bands below 470 MHz to improve spectrum efficiency in the bands. Amendment of Parts 2 and 90 of the Commission's Rules to Provide for Narrowband Private Land Mobile Radio Channels in the 150.05-150.8 MHz, 162-174 MHz, and 406.1-420 MHz Bands that are Allocated for Federal Government Use, Report and Order, 20 FCC Rcd 5793, 5796, para. 5 (2005). Because of the extensiveness of LoJack’s system, and because it has exclusive use of frequency 173.075 MHz, the Commission allowed LoJack to delay compliance with the narrowbanding mandate until May 27, 2019. Id. To facilitate compliance with the narrowbanding mandate, LoJack seeks to file a master application that encompasses all 30 authorized SVRS licensees. Some licensees hold more than one SVRS license. See Appendix. It includes in its request, declarations from each of the 30 licensees authorizing filing of the modification application on its behalf. The licenses to be modified are listed in the appendix hereto. LoJack proposes two modifications to the licenses: (1) change the emission designator from wideband, 20K0F2D, to narrowband, 11K2F2D, for all fixed and mobile transmitters; LoJack Request at 3. and (2) increase effective radiated power of the SVRS base stations from 300 watts to 500 watts and increase the output power of the SVRS mobile units from 2.5 watts to 5 watts. Id. See Amendment of Section 90.20(e)(6) of the Commission’s Rules, Report and Order, 23 FCC Rcd 12601 (2008). See also, 47 CFR § 90.20(e)(6)(iii)-(iv) (Authorizing 5 watt mobile and 500 watt base station effective radiated power). LoJack contends that the requested power increases are required to compensate for the change to the emission designator LoJack Request at 3. An emission designator is a code associated with a frequency that gives information about the frequency's necessary bandwidth, the nature of the signal modulating the main carrier and the type of information to be transmitted. See 47 CFR § 2.201. and that there will be no consequent increase in potential interference to television Channel 7 reception as a result of the power increases. LoJack Request at 4. 47 CFR § 90.20(e)(6)(viii) (“applicants shall perform an analysis for each base station that is located within 169 km of a TV Channel 7 transmitter of potential interference to viewers”). We seek comment on the LoJack proposal and the representations LoJack has made in its request. We especially solicit comment from any party that would be adversely affected by LoJack’s proposal to streamline the narrowbanding licensing process and increase power of its base stations and mobile transmitters. Interested parties may file comments on or before August 24, 2018. 47 CFR § 1.405. Parties may file replies on or before September 10, 2018. Id. Instructions for Filing Comments All comments and reply comments should reference the subject LoJack Waiver Request and the DA number indicated on this Public Notice. Comments may be filed: (1) electronically by accessing the applicant’s file number(s) in the Commission’s Universal Service Licensing System (ULS), Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Enhances the Commission’s Universal Licensing System to Implement Electronic Filing for Pleadings, Public Notice, 21 FCC Rcd 424 (WTB 2006). See https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-06-125A1.pdf. or (2) by filing paper copies. Electronic Filers:  Pleadings may be submitted electronically as follows: · Begin the process by using the following link to the ULS website https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsEntry/pleadings/pleadingsType.jsp. The link will take you to the “Pleading Information” screen for “Non-docketed Pleadings” where you select “Reply” in the drop-down window for the type of pleading and then enter the pleadings filer information. Completion of the contact information is optional. Upon completion of this screen, please note the instructions for the filing: “Pleadings must be dated and must include a signature, in this instance an electronic signature, and the address and phone number of the signing party.” See 47 CFR Part 1. Click on “CONTINUE.” · The second step is to complete the File Numbers/Call Signs screen. Click if the pleading pertains to a File Number or Call Sign and enter the File Number or Call Sign. Please note that you must enter a File Number or Call Sign to continue. If the pleading pertains to multiple applications or licenses, you must enter each File Number or Call Sign as appropriate. After clicking the “SUBMIT” button, the screen will update to show all the File Numbers/Call Signs associated with the pleading. At this time, you may delete selected File Numbers/Call Signs from the page before continuing. · The third step is to complete the Attach File screen to attach the pleading document. Use the drop down box to select Pleading or Confidential Pleading. The “BROWSE” button opens a file upload window where you will locate and select your pleading file. The Description field allows you to enter a brief description for the pleading. Click the “ADD ATTACHMENT” button to upload your pleading. You may submit up to thirty files for each pleading but each file must be smaller than 10 MB in size. You also have the opportunity to delete any selected file from the pleading. · Finally, to complete your electronic pleading submission, click on the “SUBMIT PLEADING” button and the Confirmation screen will be displayed. The Confirmation screen will display your Confirmation Number as well as your entered pleadings information. You may print this page for your records by selecting the Print Page link at the top of the page and have the option of submitting another pleading or returning to the ULS website by selecting a link at the bottom of the page. The ULS Application Search results will display pleadings under the ADMIN tab when a comment or reply comment has been filed. Users can view the pleading by clicking on the link for the specific comment or reply comment in the Description field. The general public will not be able to view confidential pleadings. For additional information or assistance on how to file a comment or reply comment or other relevant pleading, you may visit the Web at http://esupport.fcc.gov. You may also call the FCC ULS Customer Support Center at (877) 480-3201 and select option 2, or (888) 225-5322 and select Option 2, or (717) 338-2888. For TTY, please call (717) 338-2824. Assistance from the FCC ULS Customer Support Center is available between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays). To provide quality service and ensure security, all telephone calls to FCC ULS Customer Support Center are recorded. Paper Filers:  Parties who choose to file by paper must submit an original and one copy of each filing. · All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 12th St., SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. The filing hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of before entering the building. · Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. · U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington DC 20554. The application(s), waiver request, and comments and reply comments can be accessed electronically via the Commission’s Universal Licensing System, http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls. People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty). For further information regarding this proceeding contact Brian Marenco, Electronics Engineer, Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, (voice) (202) 418-0838 or Brian.Marenco@fcc.gov. -- FCC -- APPENDIX List of Licensees & Authorizations Licensee FRN Auth Signature Date Call Sign Arizona, State of 0001591023 Kevin A. Rogers 8/25/2017 WPMM669 Colorado, State of 0001613934 Richard Schmidt 8/28/2017 WPTK929 State of Connecticut, ATTN: State Police Division 0003568011 Mark Matson 8/16/2017 WPHK438, WQWU791 Delaware, State of 0002187367 Thomas Kadunce 1/17/2018 WPNS384 District of Columbia Government, Metropolitan Police Department 0002088631 Karima Holmes 2/2/2018 WPED308 Dept. Hwy Safety & Motor Vehicles, Florida Highway Patrol 0001802693 Vic Thomas 8/24/2017 WNWU571, WPQB583, WPZL332, WQJL992 Georgia, State of 0001849843 Ralph Bevan 3/5/2018 WPBK949, WPWZ315 Illinois, State of 0002787893 Jeffrey E. Sexton 8/15/2017 WNVD283 City of Los Angeles 0016433013 Silva L. Atwater 8/25/2017 WQHD385, WNSZ607, WNSZ608, WPQG846, WPRW899, WPVV324, WQDD530, WQYM227 Louisiana, State of (Dept. of Public Safety) 0001722982 Julio Peck 8/17/2017 WPXI720 Maryland State Police 0002134120 Gary Davis, Jr. 9/1/2017 WPLP844 Commonwealth of Massachusetts 0021579420 C. Blair Sutherland 10/02/2017 WNWG807, WPUL255, WPVV812 Michigan, State of 0004806576 Mark Sandberg 8/23/2017 WNSY452, WNSY453 Nevada, State of 0005761721 Richard Burger 8/16/2017 WPRS254 New Hampshire Dept Of Safety State Police Comm Maint 0003656535 James Kowalik 9/29/2017 WPOX716 New Jersey State Police 0004452025 Edward J. Zapf 9/06/2017 WNRU939, WNRU940 New Mexico, State of 0001608108 Joseph A. Martinez 10/17/2017 WQTH628 State of New York, Division of State Police 0003438595 Samuel Gregory Diana 8/11/2017 WPFS619, WPUX388 North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation 0011016466 R. Christopher Laws 8/21/2017 WQBL588, WQGH385 Ohio, State of, Highway Patrol 0013859699 Maj. Shawn Davis 8/17/2017 WQDJ531, WQED841 Oklahoma Department of Public Safety 0017935958 Gene Thaxton 12/13/2017 WQJI506 Oregon State (OWIN) 0001556125 Robert Reish 8/17/2017 WQDD261 Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Police 0016676868 Terrance Lee Ash 8/18/2017 WQKE793 Rhode Island State Police 0004088142 Thomas G. Crotty 8/24/2017 WPFS403 South Carolina Law Enforcement 0005456629 Michael W. Naylor 10/06/2017 WQER759, WQGG795 Tennessee Bureau of Investigation 0014494165 Brad Truitt 10/09/2017 WQGL264, WQET845 Texas, State of (Dept. of Public Safety) 0001672419 Todd Early 8/23/2017 WPLT916, WPWF970 Utah Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division 0019074285 Allan Shinney 8/15/2017 WQKX391 Virginia State Police, Department of State Police 0002032175 John G. Agee 10/23/2017 WQTM566 Washington State Patrol 0010493245 John L. Woodcock 8/21/2017 WQHY985, WQGM862 6