Dear Friends of Wireless Messaging,

The plans for changing the publication schedule of the newsletter have not been finalized — I am waiting for more input from the advertisers. After all, they are the ones who pay my bills.

Effective January 1, 2012 American Messaging entered into two management agreements whereby it is now responsible for managing two very well-respected paging companies. Roy Pottle, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of American Messaging said “we are partnering with the existing owners to marry the respective strengths of each company and their strong local presence with our increasing product suite in an effort to best serve existing and prospective customers.” Mike Hasty and Jackie Morris, the primary owners of ProPage, Inc. (“ProPage”) and Morris Communications, Inc. (“Morris”) respectively, and their families, have been in the paging business for more than forty years. Throughout their long history both companies have earned a reputation for providing quality service with a local/family touch so although American Messaging plans to integrate some processes, Pottle indicated “both companies will maintain local account management and network support.”

Dave Andersen, American Messaging's President & Chief Operating Officer said “ProPage is a regional carrier with a very robust network covering virtually all of Georgia while Morris has an equally robust network covering South Carolina. Although American Messaging has a strong presence in and around Atlanta we have limited coverage in southern/rural Georgia and almost no coverage in South Carolina. Accordingly, these networks, together with American Messaging's strong presence throughout Florida, collectively benefit all three companies as they can now provide strong contiguous coverage across all three states.”

Pottle also noted that “despite our collective enthusiasm, both transactions are bitter sweet, as they reflect the risks and opportunities associated with our industry and inevitably affect good, long standing employees of both companies” but perhaps most notably he indicated that the agreement with Morris was particularly difficult as it in part reflects the unfortunate passing of Trace Morris just over a year ago. Pottle said, “I would have much preferred a few drinks with Trace at the upcoming Global Paging Conference in Austin, TX but Trace would be very proud of Jackie and their son Alex and the grace with which they handled the past year.”

Can you believe I actually received a job offer from a Motorola recruiter this week? I thanked the nice lady for the offer and told her that I am semi-retired, tired of moving, and have worked for Motorola before. This newsletter and some occasional consulting assignments are just the right amount of work for me! The only bad thing about being self-employed is that my boss sometimes makes me work long hours and won't give me much time off. Ha ha!

When my friend Ron Mercer returned from his winter-visit to his home town — Montreal — he started telling me he had found this new restaurant up there that serves the very best Smoked Meat ever.

I interrupted him and told him to just be quiet or to change the subject — I didn't want to hear any more about Montreal Smoked Meat !

Oh . . . I love that Montreal Smoked Meat so much! It is wonderful. For those unlucky folks who have never had the pleasure, think about the best Corned Beef or Pastrami sandwich that you have ever eaten — only this tastes better than either one of them — really — and I am not even Canadian.

I am a 12 ^th generation American and I wish we had some of that delicious meat available down here in the “southern provinces.”

Swartz's Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen

Smoked Meat vs. Pastrami (Two different opinions.)

Last week I included a Letter to the Editor from Carter Blumeyer. Yes, that Carter Blumeyer who sent the famous message from downtown New Orleans right after Hurricane Katrina passed through. He was using a Two-way Pager. Apparently, absolutely no form of communication was working except the paging systems, not even the wire-line telephones. But I digress. . . (I know, I know, it's trite but I couldn't help myself.)

Carter wrote some follow-up comments to recent articles about the various new digital protocols for sending voice and data over radio channels. Well, one attorney has strongly disagreed with what Carter wrote concerning the MOTOTRBO protocol bandwidth and a debate has developed.

You can read the details in the LETTERS TO THE EDITOR section near the end of this issue.

I am not going to take sides in this debate and I would like to encourage some additional engineering and legal input on this question so we can all benefit. I suspect that both parties in this debate are correct in their own way of thinking. Carter is saying that the MOTOTRBO protocol is not compliant with the future FCC requirements for narrowband and the Attorney, Mr. Alan S. Tilles, Esq., is saying that it is.

Well, Carter is a technician with bench-experience in programming the actual MOTOTRBO radios and has pointed out that the radios split the signal into two 6.25 kHz channels, but they still transmit using both of them (all of the 12.5 kHz bandwidth) whether the radios are going to send one or two voice calls.

Mr. Tilles insists that the MOTOTRBO protocol will comply with the FCC's narrowband requirements at some yet unknown date in the future. He is probably right, but the existing radios will have to be modified to do this — I think. (Probably a software mod.) I believe he is thinking about the MOTOTRBO protocol if it were using only one of the two 6.25 kHz channels — which the current-production radios can't do.

Someone help me! I may be completely wrong on this issue. I certainly don't claim much expertise concerning these new protocols and I would like to get to the bottom of this issue. I am learning about this like everyone else.

Federal body concludes LightSquared can't work with GPS

A committee overseeing GPS said interference can't be fixed in months or years and called for an end to testing

By Stephen Lawson
IDG News Service
January 13, 2012 06:42 PM ET

A key federal agency involved in testing the proposed LightSquared LTE network has concluded that there is no practical way to solve interference between that network and GPS, possibly dealing a crippling blow to the startup carrier's hopes for a terrestrial mobile network.

In a memo released late Friday, the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Executive Committee (PNT ExComm) said the nine federal agencies that make up the body had concluded unanimously that none of LightSquared's proposals would overcome significant interference with GPS (Global Positioning System). [ source ]

Now on to more news and views.

Wireless Messaging News
Emergency Radio Communications Wireless Messaging Critical Messaging Telemetry Paging VoIP Wi-Fi WiMAX Location-Based Services	WIRELESS MESSAGING

This newsletter is brought to you by the generous support of our advertisers and the courtesy of iland Internet Solutions Corporation . For more information about the web-hosting services available from iland Internet Solutions Corporation, please click on their logo to the left.

A new issue of The Wireless Messaging Newsletter is posted on the web each week. A notification goes out by e-mail to subscribers on most Fridays around noon central US time. The notification message has a link to the actual newsletter on the web. That way it doesn't fill up your incoming e-mail account.

There is no charge for subscription and there are no membership restrictions. Readers are a very select group of wireless industry professionals, and include the senior managers of many of the world's major Paging and Wireless Messaging companies. There is an even mix of operations managers, marketing people, and engineers — so I try to include items of interest to all three groups. It's all about staying up-to-date with business trends and technology. I regularly get readers' comments, so this newsletter has become a community forum for the Paging, and Wireless Messaging communities. You are welcome to contribute your ideas and opinions. Unless otherwise requested, all correspondence addressed to me is subject to publication in the newsletter and on my web site. I am very careful to protect the anonymity of those who request it.

Editorial Opinion pieces present only the opinions of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Critical Messaging Association, or its sponsors.

If you would like to have information about advertising in this newsletter, please click here. If you are reading this, your potential customers are probably reading it as well.

Critical Messaging Association

COME JOIN US AT THE GLOBAL CRITICAL MESSAGING CONVENTION

March 27-29, 2012 Austin, Texas Hyatt Regency Austin

Register today at: www.criticalmessagingassociation.com

Early Registration Deadline: February 27, 2012

Join industry colleagues in Austin, Texas , for the Critical Messaging Convention and move your business two steps forward.

• Real-life review of the University of Texas campus alerting system
• Optimizing opportunities in periphery industries and expanding your business model
• Leveraging your current accounts to increase business
• Strategic ways to sell and market your business
• Updates on global alerting, including SkyTel Mexico's newly-released
  SkyAlert: Earthquake Alerting System

Registration includes admittance to all sessions, the Riverboat Reception on Wednesday evening (March 28th), as well as lunch and breaks on Thursday.

Austin, the Capital of Texas , is a hot spot for creativity and embraces its community of musicians, artists, entrepreneurs, and progressive thinkers. With more than 200 live music venues, it is known for being the Live Music Capital of the World®. Austin is also the gateway to the Texas Hill Country; rolling hills and sparkling waterways abound.

Hotel Reservations: The Hyatt Regency Austin provides the perfect location for guests to walk to Austin's attractions or to relax along the shore of Lady Bird Lake. To make reservations use the online reservation form or call 888-421-1442 or (non-toll-free) 402-592-6464, and reference the Global Critical Messaging Convention to receive the significantly discounted rate of $167/night (inclusive of Internet). DEADLINE: February 27, 2012.

Vendor Opportunities : Exhibit at the Critical Messaging Convention. Exhibit details are available at criticalmessagingassociation.org or contact Linda here by e-mail, or by telephone at 866-301-2272.

Premier Vendor	Prism-IPX Systems LLC
Silver Vendors	Method Link, LLC Unication USA
Bronze Vendors	Critical Response Systems, Inc. Daviscomms (S) Pte. Ltd Hark Technologies InfoRad ISC Technologies Microspace Communications Corporation RF Demand Solutions Swissphone Telecom United Communications Corporation WiPath Communications

Advertiser Index

If you are reading this, your potential customers are probably reading it as well.

FCC Releases EAS Requirements

(1/11/12)

The FCC released a fifth report and order on the emergency alert system (EAS), revising its Part 11 EAS rules to specify the manner in which EAS participants must be able to receive alert messages formatted in the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and by streamlining the Part 11 rules to enhance effectiveness and clarity. The order is the second of two orders that implement Part 11 rule changes stemming from the third further notice of proposed rulemaking (FNPRM) in this docket.

The fourth report and order addressed the single issue of establishing a new deadline of June 30 for meeting the various CAP-related requirements that this order codifies.

With this order, the FCC codified in detail the general obligation the FCC adopted in the second order in this docket to require EAS participants to be able to receive CAP-formatted messages. This will enable EAS participants not only to receive CAP-formatted alert messages, but also to redistribute those messages in the legacy EAS format over the current broadcast-based EAS.

Specifically, under the rules adopted in the latest order, CAP-formatted EAS alerts will be converted into and processed in the same way as messages formatted in the EAS protocol and will be used to generate enhanced visual displays for the viewers of the EAS station processing the CAP message. In addition, the FCC said it is streamlining the Part 11 rules to improve the overall effectiveness of the EAS. The FCC said that the scope of the CAP-related obligations addressed in this order must be limited to those necessary to ensure that CAP-formatted alert messages distributed to EAS participants will be converted into and processed in the same way as messages formatted in the current EAS protocol. The FCC said the requirements outlined in the order would enable EAS participants and alert initiators to integrate the EAS with other federal, as well as state and local, CAP-based alerting systems across the country, thus making public alerts disseminated through the EAS more effective and informative. Virtually all commenters agree that incorporation of CAP into the Part 11 rules will significantly benefit both public-safety officials and the public by creating a more efficient, reliable and effective EAS.

Based in Coppell, Texas, a suburb of Dallas/Fort Worth, and located just five minutes north of the DFW Airport, PSSI receives, repairs and ships approximately 4,000 discrete units each day.

• PSSI is ISO certified and has comprehensively integrated robust lean manufacturing processes and systems that enable us to deliver timely and benchmark quality results.
• PSSI is certified for Levels III and IV repair by a wide variety of OEMs including, for example, Motorola, Nokia, Sony/Ericsson, Samsung, Stanley and LG.
• PSSI ’s service center is a state-of-the-art facility, complete with multiple wireless test environments and board-level repair capabilities.
• PSSI ’s state-of-the-art and proprietary Work-In-Process (WIP) systems, and its Material Planning and Warehouse Management systems, enable PSSI to track discrete units by employee, work center, lot, model, work order, location and process through the entire reverse logistics process. Access to this information can be provided to our customers so that they can track the real-time movement of their products.

Pager and Electronics Repair

Product Support Services, Inc.

Contact:
Product Support Services, Inc.
511 South Royal Lane
Coppell, Texas 75019
Phone:
877-777-8798 (Toll Free)
972-462-3970
info@productsupportservices.com
www.productsupportservices.com

We've been busy since our last e-newsletter, bringing to the healthcare marketplace a new low-cost nurse paging system called NurseAware™. You can read more about the new system in this e-newsletter. We have also been busy enhancing our other private response paging, alerting and messaging systems that serve the mission-critical needs of hospitals, public safety officials and other industries where critical alerting and messaging are necessary operational functions.

Our staff has spent quite a bit of energy over the past few months on our flagship product, the SPARKGAP™ messaging system , that can support up to 50,000 subscriber devices, including first responders, hospital clinical staff and support personnel and fixed and mobile data modems.

We would like to hear from you if you have a success story about your facility that you can share with us.

Finally, if there is a regular feature you'd like to see in our newsletter, please let us know. We strive to provide our customers with leading-edge technology and exemplary customer service. Enjoy your reading!

Brian Claise
Chief Technology Officer
Critical Response Systems, Inc.

NurseAware™ — An Affordable Nurse Call System

Critical Response Systems' new low-cost NurseAware call system uses independent, custom wireless communications technology so nurse call services are not affected by local LAN or commercial wireless outages. The system is an add-on solution to our SPARKGAP critical alerting system for code paging and hospital critical communications. This new add-on solution provides hospitals with a low-cost nurse call solution that can also be used as a backup to a facility's presently installed nurse call system.

Utilizing a small handheld fob that looks and works much like an electronic car door opener, a patient simply pushes a button, and the nurse's pager receives the message. The system also can be programmed to communicate with larger alarm management systems for relaying messages to nurses' pagers.

NurseAware is an excellent solution for any size hospital that wants to have a back-up system in place for patients to communicate with nurses. At the price point CRS has established, the system also offers hospitals a cost-effective alternative to the more expensive nurse call systems that are in the healthcare marketplace today. For more information about NurseAware or Critical Response Systems' other critical messaging and alerting solutions, visit us at www.criticalresponse.com or call 866-372-9578.

Critical Response Systems is located in Norcross, Georgia, just north of Atlanta. We manufacture mission-critical, turn-key messaging systems for response paging, text messaging, and fixed and mobile data. Our customers include major hospitals, county and city governments, public safety agencies, and commercial carriers in the US and overseas. Our systems range from small hospital systems, to 2,000 square mile first-responder system, to nationwide service providers. We are focused solely on critical messaging and alerting, and we use the latest technologies to make it happen. Our systems ensure that clinical personnel, first responders, and emergency managers send and get their messages quickly, correctly, and reliably.

Mobilfone of Kansas City

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Satellite Uplink As Low As $500 /month Data input speeds up to 38.4 Kbps Dial-in modem access for Admin Extremely reliable & secure Hot standby up link components Knowledgeable Tech Support 24/7 Contact Alan Carle Now! 1-888-854-2697 x272 acarle@ucom.com • www.ucom.com

PAGING & WIRELESS
NETWORK PLANNERS LLC
WIRELESS SPECIALISTS

www.pagingplanners.com
rmercer@pagingplanners.com

R.H. (Ron) Mercer Consultant 217 First Street South East Northport, NY 11731
Cellphone: 631-786-9359

FreedomPop founder cagey about revenue model for 'free' mobile broadband service

January 13, 2012 — 4:32pm ET
By Tammy Parker
FierceBroadbandWireless

FreedomPop, the furtive startup backed by Skype co-founder Niklas Zennstrom, will not use advertising support to enable its offer of free voice and broadband data over LightSquared's planned LTE network, nor will all of its services be provided free of charge.

Aside from those points, there is still considerable mystery about what exactly FreedomPop intends to offer and what its ultimate revenue model will be. "We will not serve ads, can't get into too much detail here since the revenue model is part of the innovation we are delivering," wrote Tony Miller, FreedomPop's head of marketing and communications, in an email to FierceBroadbandWireless.

He noted the revenue model will be "similar to those proved on Web, whereby the heavy users subsidize the less active," and confirmed FreedomPop is actually pursuing a "freemium" model, where basic services are offered for free but premium services cost money.

The company, spearheaded by Skype co-founder Niklas Zennstrom and his venture capital firm Atomico, garnered considerable attention last month by announcing it will "offer free broadband and voice services to all Americans" via a wholesale agreement to use LightSquared's planned LTE network.

Excitement often follows announcements of free or inexpensive unlimited mobile calling and data plans, though such schemes are rarely as simple or cost-free as presented. "There's all this interest because it's a different business model, it's seemingly very innovative," said William Ho, Consumer Group vice president at Current Analysis. "But will it get major adoption? We don't know," he added.

"It's a different business model, but for the most part, is it something new and exciting in terms of technology? We would have known it by now. In this industry, you don't really operate in a vacuum and stealth for long," Ho said.

Other attempts at free and unlimited

Ho noted other promised offers of free or low-cost unlimited voice and data plans either never came to fruition or were altered significantly after launch. For example, Zer01 was touted in 2009 as a nationwide, GSM-based, unlimited calling and data service that would cost $70 a month. But Zer01 was marketed through a complicated multilevel marketing scheme and attracted loads of attention, and the service never launched .

And Leap Wireless' much-heralded $40-per-month unlimited broadband plan ultimately created issues with network traffic and financial metrics, prompting the operator to throttle users' speeds after they reached a monthly data allotment. The company's basic broadband plan now offers up to 2.5 GB of "Best Speed" data for $45 monthly before speeds are restricted.

In a development that could portend future problems for FreedomPop if it fails to deliver the "free" services that customers expect, Sprint Nextel MVNO Republic Wireless recently reversed course and eliminated its cellular fair-use policy . The company had pledged "unlimited" voice and data service for $19 per month, but only for traffic routed to Wi-Fi. However, harsh customer criticism during its beta trial led Republic to promise truly unlimited service for both Wi-Fi and cellular traffic.

And M2Z Networks, fronted by former FCC official John Muleta, for years worked on a plan to get the FCC to devote spectrum to the company's plan to offer free mobile broadband to all Americans. The effort finally fell apart in 2010.

LightSquared, or some other partner

FreedomPop may also face issues due to its choice of network partner. The company aims to introduce service later this year, once "LightSquared's 4G-LTE network comes online starting in the second half of 2012."

But LightSquared is wrestling with thorny funding issues and high-profile battles over whether its network interferes with GPS signals. Miller said FreedomPop's launch timeline "depends on which wholesale network we partner with as contingency to LightSquared." FreedomPop is currently in discussions with what Miller described as three of the four major 4G network providers "but will select just one (soon) to launch with."

Current Analysis' Ho said FreedomPop might be able to score a satisfactory wholesale deal with a major mobile operator "because everybody's looking for wholesale for additional revenue." LightSquared has said it will charge its wholesale customers about $7 a gigabyte.

But Ho cautioned that partnering with an existing mobile operator will impact device configurations and time to market because FreedomPop will need to ensure customer equipment is compatible with its partner's wireless network.

Segmenting the market

FreedomPop is targeting three primary customer groups: Underserved markets, younger more mobile users and prosumers who want mobility in addition to their fixed DSL or cable broadband services. "We're technically mobile, but with the evolution/investment in 4G networks over the next few years, we will also go after lower consuming households currently on terrestrial networks," said Miller.

He added FreedomPop also plans a small- to medium-size business package and "may be announcing a notable partnership on that front in next couple months."

Regarding devices that will be used with FreedomPop's service, Miller confirmed that USB dongles and mobile hotspot products will be available at launch.

Miller declined to address FreedomPop's specific rollout plans and would not discuss whether FreedomPop service would be sold primarily online or would be made available, along with compatible devices, via big-box stores or other retailers. According to a Dec. 15, 2011, article in Bloomberg Business Week , FreedomPop intends to market its wares through retailers, who could require a refundable device deposit of about $49.

If FreedomPop's business model succeeds in the U.S., Miller said the company plans to expand internationally and is already in discussions with wholesale partners in two major international markets.

Intelligent Solutions for Paging & Wireless Data

WiPath manufactures a wide range of highly unique and innovative hardware and software solutions in paging and mobile data for:

• Emergency Mass Alert & Messaging Emergency Services Communications Utilities Job Management Telemetry and Remote Switching Fire House Automation
• Load Shedding and Electrical Services Control

PDT3000 Paging Data Terminal

• FLEX & POCSAG Built-in POCSAG encoder Huge capcode capacity Parallel, 2 serial ports, 4 relays
• Message & system monitoring

Paging Controlled Moving Message LED Displays

• Variety of sizes Indoor/outdoor
• Integrated paging receiver

PDR3000/PSR3000 Paging Data Receivers

• Highly programmable, off-air decoders Message Logging & remote control Multiple I/O combinations and capabilities
• Network monitoring and alarm reporting

Specialized Paging Solutions

• Emergency Mass Alerting Remote telemetry switching & control Fire station automation PC interfacing and message management Paging software and customized solutions Message interception, filtering, redirection, printing & logging Cross band repeating, paging coverage infill, store and forward
• Alarm interfaces, satellite linking, IP transmitters, on-site systems

Mobile Data Terminals & Two Way Wireless  Solutions

Contact
Postal Address:	WiPath Communications LLC 4845 Dumbbarton Court Cumming, GA 30040
Street Address:	4845 Dumbbarton Court Cumming, GA 30040
Web site:	www.wipath.com CLICK
E-mail:	info@wipath.com CLICK
Phone:	770-844-6218
Fax:	770-844-6574
WiPath Communications

Wireless Communication Solutions

USB Paging Encoder

• Single channel up to eight zones
• Connects to Linux computer via USB
• Programmable timeouts and batch sizes
• Supports 2-tone, 5/6-tone, POCSAG 512/1200/2400, GOLAY
• Supports Tone Only, Voice, Numeric, and Alphanumeric
• PURC or direct connect
• Pictured version mounts in 5.25" drive bay
• Other mounting options available
• Available as a daughter board for our embedded Internet Paging Terminal (IPT)

Paging Data Receiver (PDR)

• Frequency agile - only one receiver to stock
• USB or RS-232 interface
• Two contact closures
• End-user programmable w/o requiring special hardware
• 16 capcodes
• POCSAG
• Eight contact closure version also available
• Product customization available

Other products

• Please see our web site for other products including Internet Messaging Gateways, Unified Messaging Servers, test equipment, and Paging Terminals.

Contact

Hark Technologies 717 Old Trolley Rd Ste 6 #163 Summerville, SC 29485

Tel: 843-821-6888

Fax: 843-821-6894

E-mail: sales@harktech.com CLICK

Web: http://www.harktech.com CLICK

HARK—EXHIBITS AT THE
NASHVILLE CONFERENCE

David George and Bill Noyes
of Hark Technologies.

Selected portions of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, a newsletter from the Law Offices of Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP are reproduced in this section with the firm's permission.

FCC Conducting Surprise Tower Inspections

The FCC is conducting surprise tower inspections, looking for painting and lighting violations. The FCC’s Rules require antenna structures to be cleaned and repainted as often as necessary in order to maintain good visibility. Violations could result in fines of $10,000 or more. For those clients with antenna structures that require painting, we recommend that you annually inspect your tower in order to ensure that:

(a) the paint is not faded, scraped or peeling;
(b) rust stains have not bled through the paint;
(c) there is clear contrast between the aviation white and orange bands and;
(d) any coaxial cables are not black and have been painted to match the colors of the tower.

If your antenna structure is currently painted, you may want to consider switching to day-time lighting. This is a two-step process that will require approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the FCC.

Source:

This newsletter is not intended to provide legal advice. Those interested in more information should contact the firm. For additional information, contact Hal Mordkofsky at 202-828-5520 or halmor@bloostonlaw.com

Selected portions of the BloostonLaw Private Users Update, a newsletter from the Law Offices of Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP are reproduced in this section with the firm's permission.

FCC Gives Guidance to 700 MHz Public Safety Operators On Network Identifiers, LTE Interoperability

The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, acting in consultation with its Emergency Response Interoperability Center (ERIC), has issued an Order providing further guidance to 700 MHz public safety broadband waiver recipients on their implementation of a public land mobile network identifier (PLMN ID) and related network identification numbering scheme to support the interoperability of the network deployments.

The Bureau directs each public safety licensee to implement, prior to its date of service availability, a common PLMN ID that the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions’ IMSI Oversight Council (ATIS IOC) designates for 700 MHz public safety broadband networks that are operated pursuant to waiver in the public safety broadband spectrum (763-768/793-798 MHz).

The Bureau further directs these public safety entities to collectively implement, with the assistance of a common competent administrator, a scheme for the assignment of International Mobile Subscriber Identities (IMSIs) and other identification numbers necessary to support all the Petitioners’ operations of LTE broadband deployments on an interoperable basis and to arrange for a common competent clearinghouse to support commercial roaming by all of the licensees.

An IMSI is a globally unique fifteen-digit identification number programmed into a device operated on a mobile communications network. IMSIs provide for “the unique international identification of mobile terminals and mobile users” and “enable these terminals and users to roam among [mobile networks].” The first six digits of the IMSI constitute the PLMN ID, which identifies a device as belonging to a particular network.

The remaining nine digits constitute the Mobile Subscriber Identity Number (MSIN), which uniquely identifies the user device. Networks also employ a number of other types of identification numbers that identify various network elements and that must be globally unique to ensure proper network operation. ATIS IOC is the non-governmental standards entity responsible for managing the assignment and use of PLMN IDs in mobile communications networks operating within the United States.

Spectrum Bridge’s TV Bands Data System Wins Approval

The FCC has approved Spectrum Bridge, Inc.’s “TV bands database system” to begin providing service to the public on or after January 26, 2012. This database system will support unlicensed radio devices that transmit on unused channels in the spectrum bands used by broadcast television (TV white spaces, or TVWS). The initial operation of this database system will be limited to Wilmington, N.C., and the surrounding area. Its approval will also be subject to certain additional conditions and requirements. The FCC has thereby approved the first deployment of a TV white spaces database system and unlicensed TV bands devices. If successful, the database system could facilitate the use of millions of low cost radios and other devices that can be used by our private user clients for business and personal communications.

The FCC’s rules require that unlicensed TV band devices (TVBDs) contact an authorized database system to obtain a list of channels that are available for their operation ( i.e. channels not occupied by authorized radio services) at their individual locations and operate only on those channels. These devices are required to provide their geographic locations by means of a secure Internet connection to a TV bands database system authorized by the Commission. The database will then return a list of channels available for operation by the device for its reported location.

The FCC rules require that TV bands database systems protect the following radio services:

(1) broadcast television stations (including full power, TV translator, low-power TV, and Class A stations);
(2) fixed broadcast auxiliary service (BAS) links (regular licensed and temporary);
(3) receive sites (and received channels) of TV translator, low power TV, and Class A TV stations and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs);
(4) private land mobile and commercial mobile radio service operations;
(5) offshore radio telephone service operations; (6) radio astronomy operations at specific sites; and (7) low power auxiliary service operations (principally licensed and certain approved unlicensed wireless microphone venue sites).

Except for MVPD receive sites, sites where licensed wireless microphones are used, and approved unlicensed wireless microphone venues, the necessary protection data will either be extracted by Spectrum Bridge from the Commission’s databases or are specified in the rules.

Operators of facilities for which information is contained in the Commission’s records or provided in the rules do not need to take any action to obtain protection from TV bands devices.

Comment Sought on Trex Request to Employ FOD Detection Equipment

The FCC has adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on Trex Enterprises Corp.’s request to employ its foreign object debris (FOD) detection equipment at airports. FOD at airports, including any substance, debris, or object in a location that can damage aircraft or equipment, can seriously threaten the safety of airport personnel and airline passengers and can have a negative impact on airport logistics and operations. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), FOD “has the potential to damage aircraft during critical phases of flight, which can lead to catastrophic loss of life and airframe, and at the very least increased maintenance and operating costs.” Moreover, the direct maintenance costs to airlines caused by FOD have been estimated to be one to four billion dollars per year.

Trex has developed radar technology that meets the FAA’s guidance and performance specifications for FOD detection equipment and can reduce this risk to personal safety and property by detecting the presence of FOD on airport runways. In the NPRM, the FCC seeks comment on the best way to enable the use of this new safety-related technology, and in the interim the FCC granted Trex’s request for a waiver to permit certification and use of FOD radar detection equipment operating in the 78-81 GHz band, pending the outcome of the rulemaking proceeding.

The 78-81 GHz band in which Trex’s equipment operates is allocated on a primary basis for Federal and non-Federal radio astronomy and radiolocation systems but is not listed in the table of frequencies available under Part 90, which authorizes non-Federal radiolocation operations such as Trex’s FOD detection equipment. Trex proposes that the Commission commence a rulemaking to make such a listing, and in the interim, grant Trex a waiver to permit the certification, licensing, and use of its FOD detection technology in the 78-81 MHz band. Comments in this WT Docket No. 11-202 proceeding are due February 10, and replies are due February 27

FCC OKs LMCC’s Procedures For 450-470 MHz Non-Standard Frequency Pairs

The FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau have accepted the Land Mobile Communications Council’s (LMCC’s) proposed procedures concerning non-standard frequency pairs in the 450-470 MHz band. LMCC proposes that the Bureaus accept applications, under certain conditions, from applicants seeking two channels of 4 kHz occupied bandwidth with their center frequencies offset by 3.125 kHz above and below the center frequency of a designated 12.5 kHz frequency, so that the entire occupied bandwidth of the two 4 kHz channels is within the pass band of the designated 12.5 kHz frequency’s 11.25 kHz authorized channel bandwidth. The LMCC asserted that “FCC formal recognition and approval” of the procedures “will support technical innovation, contribute to narrowbanding objectives, and promote spectrum efficiency.” The specific procedures and conditions proposed by LMCC are as follows:

• Non-standard frequency pairs are defined as 6.25 kHz digital frequencies with 4K00F1E, 4K00F1D, 4K00F2D and 4K00F7W emission designations that are offset by 3.125 kHz from designated 12.5 kHz channel centers within the 450-470 MHz band listed within FCC Rule Sections 90.20 and 90.35;
• Licensing applicability is limited to 12.5 kHz (FB8) exclusive use channels certified by frequency advisory committees to be deployed for use by Industrial/Business and Public Safety entities within trunked systems pursuant to FCC Rule Section 90.187;
• Frequency advisory committees will certify and submit license applications listing both the 12.5 kHz and non-standard channel centers; and
• The FCC will verify or, if necessary, modify ULS [the Universal Licensing System] to ensure that both the 12.5 kHz and non-standard channel centers are reported within ULS and appear on all affected licenses issued by the FCC.

In accepting LMCC’s procedures and conditions for non-standard frequency pairs, the Bureaus clarified that all rules and limitations that apply to the designated 12.5 kHz frequencies also will apply to the non-standard frequency pairs. This channel configuration will be assigned with a mobile “pair” separated by 5 MHz pursuant to Section 90.173(i) of the Commission’s rules. The mobile frequencies will carry the MO8 station class code.

Source:

This newsletter is not intended to provide legal advice. Those interested in more information should contact the firm. For additional information, contact Hal Mordkofsky at 202-828-5520 or halmor@bloostonlaw.com

From: Alan Tilles <ATilles@shulmanrogers.com>
Subject: RE: CMA Wireless Messaging News for Alan Tilles
Date: January 13, 2012 2:23:21 PM CST
To: 'Brad Dye' <brad@braddye.com>

There’s always a problem with reporting “rumors”.

“For companies that are changing out their old 25 kHz wideband radios changing to Trbo meets the FCC 2013 Narrowband mandate for Part 90 conventional but currently won't meet the upcoming, date not set, Narrow-Narrow band to 6.25 khz in rumor 2017-2019 time frame.”

There is no such rumor. The FCC has made no comment, formally or informally, on timely for any move to mandatory 6.25 kHz efficiency in 2017 to 2019. Perhaps the author is confused with the 700 MHz Public Safety narrowband spectrum, where there is currently a requirement to move to 6.25 kHz spaced channels in 2016.

Further, the MOTOTRBO radios are already very narrowband (6.25 kHz) compliant. There will not be a need for users of these units to make any radio replacement or reprogramming to make them very narrowband compliant. MOTOTRBO meets the very narrowband standard because, as it is a 12.5 kHz bandwidth radio with two voice paths, it has equivalent efficiency to two 6.25 kHz channels. See Section 90.203(j)(5).

Please take care to vet interpretations of FCC Rules before publishing.

ALAN S. TILLES, ESQ.
CHAIRMAN, TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

atilles@shulmanrogers.com | T 301.231.0930 | F 301.230.2891

SHULMAN, ROGERS, GANDAL, PORDY & ECKER, P.A.
12505 PARK POTOMAC AVENUE, 6TH FLOOR, POTOMAC, MD 20854
ShulmanRogers.com

From: Brad Dye <brad@braddye.com>
Subject: Re: CMA Wireless Messaging News for Alan Tilles
Date: January 14, 2012 11:10:15 AM CST
To: Alan Tilles <ATilles@shulmanrogers.com>
Cc: Carter Blumeyer <carterblumeyer@gmail.com>

Dear Mr. Tilles,

Thank you for proofreading the newsletter. I have forwarded your comments to the author. It has long been my policy to publish (almost) all of the "letters to the editor" that I receive, even the ones obviously from crackpots. Clearly, I cannot take responsibility for the veracity of these "letters" since they frequently deal with topics far outside of my areas of expertise. In this case — telecommunications law — I must rely on highly qualified readers like you. For that I thank you again.

Carter Blumeyer is a person who I trust and who has worked in telecommunications for a long time. Maybe he just made a mistake, or maybe he heard a false rumor? I seriously doubt that he just made this up.

By the way, you are welcome to contribute pertinent content to the newsletter at any time. I can't pay for articles, but the free advertising can't hurt.

Best regards,

Brad Dye
Editor, CMA Wireless Messaging News
P.O. Box 266
Fairfield, IL 62837 USA
Telephone: 618-599-7869
Skype: braddye
http://www.braddye.com

From: Carter Blumeyer [ carterblumeyer@gmail.com ]
Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2012 2:38 PM
To: Brad Dye
Cc: Alan Tilles
Subject: Re: CMA Wireless Messaging News for Alan Tilles

Mr. Dye and Mr Tilles,

Thank you for the comments on my statements regarding the 12.5 kHz equivalent efficiency of 6.25 kHz and rumors. When the next narrow-band will be here, your guess is as good as mine, posting a time line may have not been in the best intentions. But although the FCC has not made any formal, informal or public remarks on the narrow-banding of the 12.5 to 6.25 kHz, we all can agree that this will be coming as it is in 90.535 for 700 MHz in public safety set for Jan 2017. The FCC however does “strongly urges licensees to consider migrating directly to 6.25 kHz technology by January 1,2013 rather than first adopting 12.5 kHz technology and later migrating to 6.25 kHz technology.” (FCC News Release March 22, 2007)

The technical issue with the equivalent efficiency is that, the unit can split the signal into 2 — 6.25 kHz channels, it still transmits using all 12.5 kHz to send one or two voice call(s). I have attached pages from the General Dynamics R8000 service monitor, a unit that tunes and aligns the radios when in service, and you can see this between the 2 graphs. With this transmission width of 12.5 kHz, when the FCC puts 6.25 kHz to reality it will not fit in that spread. Unless a software upgrade happens and if the internal parts can function at 6.25 then the unit will meet the new requirement, that was the point.

Again thanks for the comments and I will be more careful on putting in dates or time frame statements in the future.

Sincerely,

Carter C. Blumeyer
Formerly:
Communication/Network Specialist-CTR US Government
FEMA Urban Search & Rescue COMS
FEMA Mobile Emergency Response Support
US Forest Service COMT/COML

The service-monitor graphs referenced in Carter's e-mail are contained here:

NXDN_Moto.pdf CLICK HERE

From: Alan Tilles <ATilles@shulmanrogers.com>
Subject: RE: CMA Wireless Messaging News for Alan Tilles
Date: January 15, 2012 2:07:37 PM CST
To: Carter Blumeyer <carterblumeyer@gmail.com>, Brad Dye <brad@braddye.com>

Even though I am counsel to a NXDN manufacturer, I can tell you that MOTOTRBO meets the Commission's very narrowband requirements. Please do not lead my clients or anyone else to believe otherwise.

Integrity

“Integrity is the essence of everything successful.”

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“Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.”

— Spencer Johnson

“One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised.”

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“Integrity is what we do, what we say, and what we say we do”

— Don Galer

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