Federal Communications Commission DA 22-882 DA 22-882 Released: August 23, 2022 PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU ANNOUNCES ACCEPTANCE FOR FILING OF FIRST RESPONDER NETWORK AUTHORITY LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION PS Docket Nos. 12-94, 06-229 WT Docket No. 06-150 By this Public Notice, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB or Bureau) announces acceptance for filing of the license renewal application of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). The Spectrum Act Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-96, §§ 6001-6414, 126 Stat. 156, 201-236 (codified at 47 U.S.C. §§ 1401-1457) (Spectrum Act). established FirstNet as an independent authority within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) 47 U.S.C. § 1424(a). and required the Commission to grant an initial ten-year license to FirstNet for the 758-769/788-799 MHz band. See 47 U.S.C. § 1421(a) (“[T]he Commission shall . . . grant a license to the First Responder Network Authority for the use of the 700 MHz D block spectrum and existing public safety broadband spectrum.”); id. § 1421(b) (“The license granted under subsection (a) shall be for an initial term of 10 years from the date of the initial issuance of the license.”); see also id. §§ 1401(2) (defining “700 MHz D block spectrum” as 758-763/788-793 MHz), 1401(14) (defining “existing public safety broadband spectrum” as 763-768/793-798 MHz and 768-769/798-99 MHz). Pursuant to the Spectrum Act, the Commission granted FirstNet a ten-year license on November 15, 2012. See Implementing Public Safety Broadband Provisions of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 et al., PS Docket 12-94 et al., Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 28 FCC Rcd 2715, 2720, para. 13 (2013). The Spectrum Act directs FirstNet to submit a license renewal application to the Commission on or before the expiration of FirstNet’s current license, 47 U.S.C. § 1421(b)(2). and authorizes the Commission to grant the application for a term not to exceed ten years if FirstNet has met its duties and obligations as set forth in the Spectrum Act. Id. The Spectrum Act also includes provisions for FirstNet’s authority to terminate in 2027 absent further Congressional action. 47 U.S.C. § 1426(f). In 2012, PSHSB codified the statutory renewal provision in Section 90.532 of the Commission’s rules. Implementing Public Safety Broadband Provisions of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 et al., Report and Order, 27 FCC Rcd 10953, 10967 (PSHSB 2012). On August 22, 2022, FirstNet submitted its renewal application which, upon initial review, we have found to be acceptable for filing. The application has been assigned file number 0010176495 in the Commission’s Universal Licensing System (ULS). The application can be accessed at https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/universal-licensing-system by entering the file number in the Application Search field. To the extent that the Bureau may need further information as part of the application, the Bureau may ask FirstNet to supplement the renewal application. Interested parties may file any views regarding the renewal application as an informal request for Commission action in accordance with section 1.41 of the Commission’s rules. 47 CFR § 1.41. Any such request “should set forth clearly and concisely the facts relied upon, the relief sought, the statutory and/or regulatory provisions (if any) pursuant to which the request is filed and under which relief is sought, and the interest of the person submitting the request.” Id. Filings must be submitted no later than September 22, 2022, thirty (30) days after the date of this Public Notice, and reference DA 22-882. In accordance with sections 1.4(j) and 1.45 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 1.4(j), 1.45. oppositions to such initial filings must be filed no later than October 3, 2022, and replies to oppositions must be filed no later than October 11, 2022. Pleadings may be filed electronically through ULS, or by paper pursuant to the following instructions. Parties are strongly encouraged to file electronically using ULS. § Electronic Filers: Pleadings may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing ULS: https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/systems-utilities/universal-licensing-system. Each screen indicates the information to be provided or the action(s) to be performed to complete that screen. From the ULS website, to begin the process of filing a pleading click on “SUBMIT A PLEADING.” The link takes the user to the Pleadings Information screen. Upon completing the Pleadings Information screen, click “CONTINUE” to go to the File Numbers/Call Signs screen. Upon providing the information required on that screen, complete steps three and four at the Attach File and Confirmation screens, respectively. For more information, detailed instructions can be found in the Public Notice announcing the implementation of electronic filing for pleadings. Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Enhances the Commission’s Universal Licensing System to Implement Electronic Filing for Pleadings, Public Notice, 21 FCC Rcd 424 (WTB 2006). § Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. § Filings can be sent by commercial courier or by the U.S. Postal Service. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. § Commercial deliveries (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 45 L Street, NE, Washington, DC 20554. § As of March 19, 2020, the FCC is no longer accepting hand-delivered or messenger delivered paper filings at FCC Headquarters due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FCC Announces Closure of FCC Headquarters Open Window and Change in Hand-Delivery Filing, Public Notice, DA 20-304 (OMD Mar. 19, 2020). Furthermore, after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted the new filing location for paper documents will be 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. FCC Announces Closing of Filing Window at FCC Headquarters and Permanent Change in the Location and Hours for Receiving Hand-Carried Filings, Public Notice (OMD July 7, 2020). § 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 45 L Street, NE, Washington, DC 20554. The FirstNet application and supporting documents are available to the public for electronic viewing through ULS. Any amendments to the FCC Form 601 application must also be filed electronically through ULS. For technical assistance in using ULS for viewing the application or filing an amendment to the application, contact the ULS Licensing Support Hotline at (877) 480-3201. The ULS Licensing Support Hotline is available Monday through Friday, from 8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Eastern Time. All calls to the ULS Licensing Support Hotline are recorded. Questions regarding procedural issues should be directed to Linda Pintro of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Policy and Licensing Division at (202) 418-7490 or Linda.Pintro@fcc.gov. Copies of materials can be obtained from the FCC’s Reference Information Center at (202) 418-0270. 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). Action by the Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. -FCC- 2