Federal Communications Commission DA 21-774 DA 21-774 Released: June 30, 2021 THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON AN APPLICATION AND WAIVER REQUEST FILED BY AUGUSTA RICHMOND COUNTY CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT TO LICENSE AN SMR POOL CHANNEL ULS File Number 0009221672 Comment Date: July 30, 2021 Reply Comment Date: August 16, 2021 The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on an application and waiver request filed on September 14, 2020 by Public Safety Pool licensee, the Augusta Richmond County Consolidated Government (Augusta-Richmond), which seeks to modify its private land mobile radio (PLMR) system licensed under call sign WRJG453 by adding a new 800 MHz Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) Pool channel (857.6375 MHz) to six simulcast base station repeater sites located throughout the City of Augusta and Richmond County, Georgia. Augusta Richmond County Consolidated Government Application, ULS File no. 0009221672 (dated Sep. 14, 2020) (Augusta-Richmond Application). Augusta-Richmond attached to its modification application, a request for waiver of section 90.617(d) of the Commission rules which states that 857.6375 MHz is one of the 800 MHz frequencies available “only to eligibles in the SMR category” including SMR stations and eligible end users. Attachment to Augusta-Richmond Application labeled “SMR Waiver” at 1 (attached Sep. 14, 2020) (Waiver Request). See also 47 CFR § 90.617(d). Absent the requested waiver, Augusta-Richmond, a public safety licensee, would not be eligible to license the requested SMR channel. In its waiver request, Augusta-Richmond states that its PLMR system has coverage limitations exacerbated by “suburban development into previously uninhabited areas.” Waiver Request at 1. Consequently, it seeks to deploy a six-site, ten channel simulcast system to supplement and enhance critical two-way dispatching and field communications to “no coverage” areas within the city and county. Id. Augusta-Richmond’s license currently authorizes operation on nine simulcast channels at each of its six base station repeater sites. See call sign WRJG453. In addition to the nine simulcast channels, August-Richmond is also licensed to operate on five channels at Location 2 in Augusta, GA. In seeking to expand its simulcast system to 10 channels, Augusta-Richmond commissioned a frequency search by Commission-certified frequency coordinator, the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, International (APCO). APCO determined that there are “no more public safety or vacated spectrum frequencies in this area available that will work at all six sites of August Richmond’s six site simulcast system.” Letter from Amanada Bredstrup, Senior Processor, APCO International to Federal Communications Commission at 1 (May 5, 2021) (attached to Augusta-Richmond Application on May 5, 2021) (APCO Coordination Statement). Therefore, APCO identified SMR frequency 857.6375 MHz as a candidate for Augusta-Richmond’s tenth channel, confirmed its availability, and coordinated Augusta-Richmond’s application. Id. APCO is certified to coordinate channels from the SMR Pool. See Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Certifies Frequency Coordinators for the 800 MHz SMR Pool, Public Notice, 20 FCC Rcd 5134 (WTB 2005). APCO did identify some available Business/Industrial/Land Transportation (B/ILT) Pool channels but none of these B/ILT Pool channels provide Augusta-Richmond with sufficient spectral separation to its currently licensed channels to work with Augusta-Richmond’s combiners. See APCO Coordination Statement at 2. See also Letter from Tameka Allen, Chief Information Officer, Augusta, Georgia to Amanada Bredstrup, APCO International (May 5, 2021) (attached to Augusta-Richmond Application on May 5, 2021) (indicating that Augusta-Richmond’s combiners require a minimum frequency separation of 150 kHz between channels). We seek comment on whether the Bureau should grant Augusta-Richmond a waiver of the eligibility requirements in section 90.617(d) so it can license SMR Pool channel 857.6375 MHz at each of the six repeater sites in its simulcast system and use the channel for public safety communications. Waiver Request at 1. In particular, we seek comment from any party who would be affected by Augusta-Richmond’s proposal to deploy SMR Pool frequency 857.6375 MHz as the tenth channel for its simulcast system. Id. Interested parties may file comments on or before July 30, 2021. Parties may file replies on or before August 16, 2021. Instructions for Filing Comments All comments and reply comments should reference the subject Augusta-Richmond 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 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 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/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 can 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 https://www.fcc.gov/available-support-services. You may also call the FCC ULS Customer Support Center at (877) 480-3201 and select option 2. 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 the 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. · Filings can be sent by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. o 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. o U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554 · Effective March 19, 2020, and until further notice, the Commission no longer accepts any hand or messenger delivered filings. This is a temporary measure taken to help protect the health and safety of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. See FCC Announces Closure of FCC Headquarters Open Window and Change in Hand-Delivery Policy, Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd 2788 (2020). · During the time the Commission’s building is closed to the general public and until further notice, if more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of a proceeding, paper filers need not submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number; an original and one copy are sufficient 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 additional information, contact Brian Marenco, Brian.Marenco@fcc.gov, of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Policy and Licensing Division, (202) 418-0838. -FCC- 2