Qtnngress nf tl1e «niteb ~tates DIIu1l4ingfnn, liCIt 2D515 March 2, 2012 Chainnan Julius Genachowski Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, SW Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairman Genachowski: We are writing today to ask that you give all appropriate consideration to the request by the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) for a waiver regarding the requirement to complete conversion to 12.5 kHz or equivalent technology by December 31,2012. The Office of Administration (OA) and Office of Public Safety Radio (OPRS) have developed and begun implementing an 800 MHz system to replace the PSP VHF radio system, as well as the radio systems of all other state agencies. In fact, PSP has been using the 800 MHz system as their primary dispatch and communications system statewide since 2010. Although the PSP has migrated to the 800 MHz system, that system is still not fully reliable and does not yet provide adequate coverage to meet the critical communications needs of the PSP. Additionally, as OPRS has not completed construction of all necessary sites to ensure redundancy and complete coverage on the 800 MHz system, the VHF system has served as a backup system during roughly 2,000 outages of the new 800 MHz system in 2011 alone. PSP has in place a narrow banding plan, including necessary funding, to implement a narrowband repeater system but requires additional time to complete the upgrades, and to continue migration to the 800 MHz system. Finally, PSP does not anticipate any negative impacts on other licensees as a result of this request for a maximum two-year extension for the implementation of upgrades to their VHF system and expansion of the OPRS 800 MHz system. We ask that you carefully review the infonnation provided by PSP in their waiver request, dated January 24, 2012, and seek a path forward that accommodates their unique needs, and ensures Pennsylvania's access to critical emergency services are not impeded. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER KI~J!{ Member of Congress Sincerely, Tim Murphy Member qf COngress . B;g.Q~ Bill Shuster Member of Congress \£~GI2~_,.," Member of Congress lLgT~~ Glenn "GT" Thompson Member of Congress h~JlISOn A1tmire Member of Congress £JJ./~ Todd Platts Member of Congress · ", Bob Brady Member of Congress Tim Holden Member of Congress Ci~wD~ Charles W. Dent Member of Congress ~ ------' __..L./M-#l:zY Member of Congress ~~Mike Fitz ck Member of Congress ."