The Enterprise Wireless Alliance and Pacific DataVision, Inc. (PDV) have filed a Petition for Rulemaking requesting that the Federal Communications Commission open a rulemaking proceeding to realign the 896-901/935-940 MHz band to create a private enterprise broadband allocation. The 900 MHz band currently consists of 399 narrowband channels grouped into ten-channel blocks that alternate between Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) blocks geographically licensed by Major Trading Area (MTA) and Business/Industrial/Land Transportation (B/ILT) blocks in which channels are assigned on a site-by-site basis. Petitioners propose that the band be divided into a 3/3 MHz broadband segment (898-901/937-40 MHz) and a 2/2 MHz narrowband segment (896-98/935-37 MHz). Under the Petitioners’ proposal, the broadband segment would be assigned in each MTA to the licensee that currently holds at least fifteen of the twenty SMR licenses for that MTA. The Commission’s Universal Licensing System database indicates that PDV holds at least fifteen SMR licenses in forty-two MTAs or MTA-like areas. No other licensee holds at least fifteen SMR licenses in any MTA. In markets where no licensee currently holds at least fifteen SMR licenses, Petitioners propose that the SMR incumbents negotiate to select the broadband licensee. Comments are due January 12, 2015, and replies are due January 27, 2015.
