4.9 GHz Report & Order Synopsis
On May 2, 2003, the Federal communications Commission issued the Memorandum Opinion and Order and Third Report and Order in the matter for the 4.9 GHz Band Transferred from Federal Government Use, WT Docket No. 00-32.
4.9 GHz band (4940-4990 MHz) will support a variety of broadband applications, including technologies and operations requiring varying bandwidths and operations both temporary and permanent.
Allocated for both fixed and non-aeronautical mobile operation (broadband mobile operation).
Permits “hot spot” operations, i.e., automatic high speed file transfers from “hot spot” to mobile units, such as transfer of maps, building layouts, and wanted or missing person images.
Permits operation of temporary fixed links (i.e., operations lasting one year or less).
Permits fixed point-to-point microwave operations on a secondary basis.
Based on “public safety services” definition implemented by Section 90.523 of FCC rules.
Allows public safety entities to enter into sharing agreements or other arrangements with entities (such as power, petroleum, and railroad industries) performing operations in support of public safety.
Allows sharing agreements with Federal Government entities.
Licensing
Geographical licensing scheme based on a public safety entity’s legal jurisdictional area of operation for all operations in the band with the exception of fixed point-to-point operations. The jurisdictional areas will include all states, counties, cities, towns, municipalities, etc., and will encompass every geographical area that has an established public safety entity.
All frequencies will be shared among licensees, and adjacent and co-located licensees are required to cooperate and coordinate in use of the spectrum.
Subject to Section 90.1209, licensees have the authority to construct and operate any number of base stations anywhere within the area authorized by the license, except as follows:
1) A station is required to be individually licensed if:
i) International agreements require coordination;
ii) Submission of an environmental assessment is required;
iii) The station would affect the radio quite zone.
2) Any antenna structure that requires notification to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must be registered with the Commission prior to construction.
3) Licensees choosing to operate fixed point-to-point stations must license them individually on a site-by-site basis.
Licensees will be authorized to operate on the entire 50 megahertz of spectrum that comprises the 4.9 GHz band.
The frequency utilization plan consists of ten one-megahertz channels and eight five-megahertz channels that can be combined to a maximum of twenty-megahertz (see Band Plan section). The one-megahertz channels will be useful for narrow bandwidth operations such as slow scan short-term video surveillance. For wireless local area network (WLAN) and personal area network (PAN) channels can be combined to meet the higher bandwidth requirement. Licensee should utilize the five-megahertz channels first, rather than combining the one-megahertz channels.
Coordination will be performed by 700 MHz Regional Planning Committees (RPCs).
RPCs must have a meeting for initiating consideration of coordination procedures within six months of effective date of the rules.
RPCs must provide the FCC with a copy of their plan within twelve months of the effective date of the rules.
In the event a 700 MHz RPC does not establish a plan governing coordination procedures, 4.9 GHz band licensees would not be precluded from voluntarily establishing a local 4.9 GHz planning committee, appointing one or more band managers or other coordinator(s), or implementing other procedures to facilitate effective coordination of operations in the band.
Power limits are based on a spectral density limit of 20 dBm per 1 MHz along with the antenna gain limits. This would allow 20 dBm (100 mW) for a 1 MHz signal and up to 33 dBm (2 watts) for a 20 MHz signal.
Antenna gain limit is 9 dBi except for point-to-point operation which will be 26 dBi.
The following channel center frequencies are permitted to be aggregated for channel bandwidths of 5, 10, 15, or 20 MHz. Channel numbers 1-5 (yellow) and 15-19 (blue) are 1 MHz channels and channels numbers 6-14 (green) are 5 MHz channels.
|
Center Frequency (MHz) |
Channel Nos. |
|
4940.5 |
1 |
|
4941.5 |
2 |
|
4942.5 |
3 |
|
4943.5 |
4 |
|
4944.5 |
5 |
|
4947.5 |
6 |
|
4952.5 |
7 |
|
4957.5 |
8 |
|
4962.5 |
9 |
|
4967.5 |
10 |
|
4972.5 |
11 |
|
4977.5 |
12 |
|
4982.5 |
13 |
|
4985.5 |
14 |
|
4986.5 |
15 |
|
4987.5 |
16 |
|
4988.5 |
17 |
|
4989.5 |
18 |
Full text from the FCC associated with this notice can be located at the following links: