WASHINGTON-A high-powered coalition of public-safety and private wireless users, citing serious potential disruption to critical infrastructure in coastal cities, has urged the Federal Communications Commission not to renew an experimental license of a firm that provides satellite-based broadband communications to ships.
“If the experience gained through this `experiment’ to date shows anything, it is that the coordination regime by the commission to protect FS (fixed private wireless service) systems is simply unworkable because the ESV (earth stations aboard vessels) proponents refuse to use the correct criteria for the coordinations and, even if the correct coordination criteria were used, the distance restriction is unenforceable,” the wireless group stated in a May 10 filing with the FCC.
At issue is the 5925 MHz to 6425 MHz band.
Among those fighting the experimental permit of Maritime Telecommunications Network Inc. are the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International, the American Petroleum Institute, the Association of American Railroads, the United Telecom Council and the Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition.
“It is now abundantly clear that the successful coexistence of ESVs with the fixed service is not feasible, that the experiment was a failure; and that MTN’s experimental license should not be renewed,” stated the private wireless group.
Not only do public-safety agencies and electric, gas and water utility companies rely on 6 GHz microwave links, but cellular carriers use the frequency band to backhaul data.
Helen Disenhaus, an attorney for MTN, could not be reached for comment.
MTN, according to the fixed private wireless coalition, operates 45 satellite earth stations on vessels originally licensed to Crescomm Transmission Services Inc. in 1996.
In 1997, MTN asked the FCC to increase from 45 to 250 the number of earth stations on vessels. The FCC denied the request, prompting MTN to file a petition for reconsideration. The petition is still pending.
In January 1999, MTN applied to renew the license.
An engineering analysis conducted for the private wireless group by M. Philip Salas, senior manager of fixed wireless product engineering for Alcatel USA, concluded that microwave links can be exceptionally vulnerable to satellite earth station interference-even with proposed interference guidelines.
Beyond the technical issue of interference is the matter of federal enforcement.
“Even assuming the vessel could be identified as the source of an authorized transmission inside a `restricted zone,’ there are serious questions as to the FCC’s enforcement jurisdiction if the vessel is operating beyond the territorial limits of the U.S.,” stated the public-safety private wireless coalition.
The ESV-private wireless interference controversy is having reverberations outside the FCC. The issue is on the agenda at the World Radiocommunication Conference in Istanbul, Turkey. The meeting, run under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union, runs May 8 through June 2.
Julian Shepard, a lawyer for the private wireless group, said a number of countries are opposed to expanding on a global basis 6 GHz satellite earth station operations on ships.
The United States apparently is supporting worldwide spectrum sharing between ship earth stations and terrestrial private wireless licenses.
The Navy is said to be a strong proponent of 6 GHz earth stations on ships.
“The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau is aware of the concerns and has been working with the International Bureau as well as the Office of Engineering and Technology on this matter,” said an FCC spokeswoman.
