WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission on July 26 responded to Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.), chairman of the House Commerce Committee, and others regarding the requested detailed accounting of the current licensees in the 800 MHz band.
“The data in this report represents the state of our licensing records as of July 12. Our database is not stagnant. Licenses to use the 800 MHz band may be transferred, modified, or cancelled over time. Second, all licenses in the 800 MHz band are not equivalent. . There is a fundamental difference between site-based licenses and geographic-area licenses. With site-based licenses, the discrete frequencies, locations and number of based stations licensed to a given licensee are contained in the [FCC] records. With geographic-area licenses, commission records do not reflect the number of base stations in use by a licensee, the frequencies in use at each base station, or the discrete base station locations within the licensed geographic-area,” said the FCC.
The actual data was supplied on a compact disc and is available on the FCC’s Website.
When Tauzin made his request, he indicated the House Commerce Committee might take up the issue of public-safety interference in the 800 MHz band.
The FCC is already examining how to reshuffle the 800 MHz band to solve the interference problem that has evolved as enhanced SMR service, primarily that offered by Nextel Communications Inc., has developed a nationwide footprint.
