PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT February 4, 2011 Robert Kenny: (202) 418-0506 Email: robert.kenny@fcc.gov FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION ANNOUNCES WORKSHOP ON THE 4.9 GHz BAND: SPECTRUM DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY FOR BROADBAND USE Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) today announced it will hold a workshop on the 4.9 GHz Band: Spectrum Dedicated to Public Safety for Broadband Use. This event will focus on how public safety can increase utilization of this spectrum. The workshop will be held on Friday, February 25, 2011, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Commission Meeting Room (TW-C305). The 4940–4990 MHz (4.9 GHz) licensing rules adopted in 2003 by the Commission provide licensees with authority to operate base and mobile units (including portable and handheld units) and operate temporary (one year or less) fixed stations anywhere within the area authorized by the license. Permissible operations include unattended and continuous operation, voice, data and video operations, while aeronautical mobile operations are prohibited. Permanent fixed point-to-point and point-to- multipoint stations in the band must be licensed individually on a site-by-site basis. Many public safety agencies have identified specific mission-critical applications, day-to-day fixed use and unique solutions using the 50 megahertz of spectrum dedicated to public safety in 4.9 GHz band. The workshop will address current 4.9 GHz deployments by public safety entities to include system implementation, configuration, performance, and types of uses and applications running over the 4.9 GHz networks. The workshop will also look at collaborating ideas for use of the 4.9 GHz spectrum in areas such as prior coordination, operating on a non-interference basis and other technical enhancements that may be needed. It will also address possible improvements of the 4.9 GHz band related to policy, rules and regulations. The Commission will release a complete agenda closer to the event date. The workshop will be open to the public; however, admittance will be limited to the seating available. Individuals interested in attending this event must pre-register on-line at http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/event-registration2.html, where they will be asked to provide their name, title, organization affiliation, and contact information. Individuals may also contact Deandrea Wilson at Deandrea.Wilson@fcc.gov or via phone at 202-418-0703 regarding pre-registration. The deadline for pre-registration is Wednesday, February 23, 2011. Interested parties may file comments using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies.1 Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. If multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of the proceeding, commenters must transmit one electronic copy of the comments to each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, U.S. Postal 1 See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, GC Docket No. 97-113, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd 11322 (1998). Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking numbers. All filings concerning this Public Notice should refer to PS Docket No. 06-229 and WP Docket No. 07-100. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions for e-mail comments, commenters should send an e-mail 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. Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, commenters must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. Paper filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. Parties are strongly encouraged to file comments electronically using the Commission’s ECFS. · Effective December 28, 2009, 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 at this location are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. PLEASE NOTE: The Commission’s former filing location at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE is permanently closed. · Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. · U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington DC 20554. Parties shall also serve one copy with the Commission’s copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. (BCPI), Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, (202) 488-5300, or via e-mail to fcc@bcpiweb.com. Documents in PS Docket No. 06-229 and WP Docket No. 07-100 will be available for public inspection and copying during business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th St. S.W., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. The documents may also be purchased from BCPI, telephone (202) 488-5300, facsimile (202) 488-5563, TTY (202) 488-5562, e-mail fcc@bcpiweb.com. 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). This matter shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission's ex parte rules.2 Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance of the presentations and not merely a listing of the subjects discussed. More than a one- or two-sentence description of the views and arguments presented generally is required.3 Other requirements pertaining to oral and written presentations are set forth in section 1.1206(b) of the Commission's rules.4 2 47 C.F.R. § 1.1200 et seq. 3 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(2). 4 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b). Audio/video coverage of the meeting will be broadcast live with open captioning over the Internet from the FCC's web page at www.fcc.gov/live. The FCC’s webcast is free to the public. Those who watch the live video stream of the event may email event-related questions to livequestions@fcc.gov. Depending on the volume of questions and time constraints, the panel moderators will work to respond to as many questions as possible during the workshop. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities are available upon request. Please include a description of the accommodation you will need. Individuals making such requests must include their contact information should FCC staff need to contact them for more information. Requests should be made as early as possible. Please send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau: 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY). For additional information about the meeting, please contact Susan McLean at (202) 418-7868 or by email: Susan.McLean@fcc.gov.