WASHINGTON-The American Mobile Telecommunications Association said it has asked the Federal Communications Commission to reconsider certain aspects of its recently released rules for the 220 MHz specialized mobile radio industry to assure that regulatory parity exists between Phase I and Phase II licensees.
AMTA wants the FCC to reconsider its rules for incumbent flexibility to allow Phase I licensees the same flexibility as 800 MHz and 900 MHz SMR incumbent operators. The association also requested the commission modify the level of protection of incumbent non-nationwide systems to reflect the actual performance of 220 MHz technology.
“Someone really went out of their way to deny certain things the industry had requested,” said AMTA President Alan Shark. “It will make us very different from 900 (MHz) and 800 (MHz). I was really quite shocked.”
AMTA argues rules adopted in the order do not provide an adequate protection between Phase I and Phase II licensees, and it has requested the FCC modify the rules to reflect real world conditions. AMTA said ongoing experience shows that a 28 dBu contour better represents the reliable service area of a 220 MHz system, rather than the FCC’s permitted 38 dBu contour. The association recommended the FCC enlarge the minimum geographic separation between Phase I and Phase II, and between Phase II licensees because a 38 dBu contour definition would deny Phase I licensees a quality of service comparable to other wireless services and cause interference.
