- Acting on WT Docket 96-86, in 1998 the FCC adopted service rules for the
24 megahertz of spectrum in the 764-776/794-806 MHz frequency bands
(collectively, the 700 MHz band). At the direction of Congress, this
spectrum was reallocated from television broadcast services to public
safety communications services. It will be available as soon as existing
TV stations vacate the spectrum, which is targeted for no later than
December 31, 2006. (link)
- Advising the FCC on this matter is the Public
Safety National Coordinating Committee (NCC), a FCC-chartered Federal
Advisory Committee. Based on the NCC's recommendations, in January 2001
the FCC adopted technical and operational standards for use of the narrow
band portion of this spectrum.
- The FCC divided the 24 MHz spectrum pool into
sub-pools including State License, Interoperability, General Use (designated for local, regional and state users), and adopted the Regional Planning process to manage the General Use pool.
- The RPCs are allowed maximum flexibility to meet
state and local needs, encourage innovative use of the spectrum, and
accommodate new and as yet unanticipated developments in technology
equipment, and are responsible for creating and managing regional spectrum
utilization plans.
- The Region 6 RPC is creating a new planning committee
to deal with the 700 MHz issue. This page is to keep the community informed
of the progress of the 700 MHz Committee and its working groups.
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