WASHINGTON-The FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau said Thursday it had certified the Industrial Telecommunications Association and the American Mobile Telecommunications Association as frequency coordinators in the 929-930 MHz paging frequencies and the special-emergency frequencies below 512 MHz.
“After careful consideration of the information before us, we are persuaded that ITA has the qualifications necessary to follow the rules and regulations in performing frequency coordination in the 929-930 MHz paging and special-emergency categories. We therefore grant ITA’s request for certification to provide frequency coordination,” said D’wana Terry, chief of the public safety and critical-infrastructure division of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and Roger Noel chief of the WTB mobility division. “Since AMTA has already requested certification for these categories in the context of this proceeding, we hereby certify AMTA to coordinate frequencies in these two categories.”
ITA filed its request June 27, 2002. In comments, AMTA did not oppose ITA’s request but asked that it too be certified. Both entities are currently frequency coordinators for other private-wireless bands.
A frequency coordinator is a private-sector entity that recommends which channels should be used in an area taking into consideration other users and interference concerns. The Federal Communications Commission began certifying multiple coordinators in 1997.
Because many different organizations may believe that a certain channel is available for use, frequency coordinators are required to communicate on a daily business which frequencies they intend to assign and to whom.
“To encourage and facilitate the cooperation between in-category coordinators, we will require that each coordinator communicate at least once each business day with each other in-category coordinator. Even on days that there is no coordination, communication between coordinators is required,” said Terry and Noel.
Prior to the wireless bureau’s decision, the Personal Communications Industry Association was the only certified frequency coordination in the 900 MHz paging frequencies, and PCIA and the International Municipal Signal Association/International Association of Fire Chiefs were the only certified frequency coordinators for the special-emergency frequencies.
