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Border Regions - Canada
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U.S. - Canada Border Region
The TA has updated its Request for Planning Funding sections to include guidance and submission deadlines for CBR licensees.
Public Safety Canadian Border licensees will be receiving a questionnaire via email from the TA requesting their assistance in gathering information necessary for frequency planning and identification of appropriate replacement frequencies for their radio system. Please submit to the TA no later than September 15, 2008.
If you have any questions specific to the questionnaire contact CanadaQuestions@800ta.org.
For all other questions contact comments@800TA.org.
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Who Needs to Reconfigure? To Where?
Many 800 MHz systems in the U.S.-Canada border regions will be required to relocate to new frequencies as part of the transition from the current band plan to the new band plan. For a description of the
general guidelines about where licensees will relocate to and for more detailed information on the specific band plans for the eight geographic regions along the U.S.-Canada border, you may review the
Second Report and Order, specifically, paragraphs 7 and 43 through 45 and Appendices C-1 through C-4.
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Map of the U.S. - Canada Border Region
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Figure 1:
U.S. - Canada Border Region
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Frequency Proposal Reports and Frequency Planning
Licensees in the Canadian border regions and licensees adjacent to the border regions that have not previously received replacement frequencies can expect to receive a Frequency Proposal Report
(FPR) from the TA that will detail their proposed replacement frequencies, in the coming months.
For public safety licensees in the most densely populated regions, the determination of replacement frequencies in the Canadian border regions will be a complex process. To identify the most appropriate
replacement frequencies, the TA will coordinate information gathering and planning with the NPSPAC Regional Planning Committees, public safety licensees, and Sprint Nextel.
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How Should I Prepare for Reconfiguration?
Licensees in the Canadian border regions are encouraged to proceed with planning activities to the extent that they are not frequency-dependent and would not result in unnecessary duplication of costs.
You are encouraged to consider the following activities:
- Submit a Point of Contact (POC) Form, which is available on the TA's website here, to the TA to ensure that the TA has the correct address for mailing frequency proposals and other communications to you.
- Review and update your license information in the FCC's Universal Licensing System (ULS) database, particularly contact information, to ensure that it is correct and up-to-date.
- Consider what type of planning activities you will need to perform. If you will need funding for your planning activities, you should prepare a Request for Planning Funding (RFPF) and submit it by Tuesday, October 14, 2008. Additional information about
RFPFs is provided below. In general, the vast majority of licensees that have requested planning funding have been public safety licensees, although any licensee subject to reconfiguration may submit an RFPF.
- If you do not need separate funding for your planning activities, you should include any planning costs as part of your Frequency Reconfiguration Agreement (FRA). This is highly recommended if you have less than 500 subscriber units or need less than 30 business
days of resource effort for planning.
- Participate in the Subscriber Equipment Deployment (SED) program, which allows you to begin reconfiguration of subscriber units, including obtaining replacement equipment, software upgrade kits, and installation services, before you negotiate a complete FRA.
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Request for Planning Funding
As specified in the FCC's Second Report and Order, Canadian border area licensees that intend to negotiate a Planning Funding Agreement (PFA) with Sprint Nextel should submit a Request for Planning Funding (RFPF) as soon as possible but no later than Tuesday, October 14, 2008. Click here to download the RFPF Form and Instructions.
You will commence PFA negotiations with Sprint Nextel after the TA forwards your RFPF to Sprint Nextel. If you and Sprint Nextel have not reached an agreement by October 14, 2008, you will have an additional 30 days to continue PFA negotiations under the monitoring of a TA mediator. If, at the end of the 30 day period, there is no agreement on a PFA, you and Sprint Nextel will participate in active mediation for 20 days. If you do not reach agreement during the mediation period, the TA will refer any remaining disputed issues to the PSHSB within 10 days of the close of the mediation period.
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Planning
After the TA approves your PFA, you will have 90 to 110 days, depending on the number of subscriber units in your system, to complete your planning activities and submit a cost estimate for the reconfiguration
of your system to Sprint Nextel.
- If you have up to 5,000 subscriber units, the period to complete planning and submit a cost estimate is 90 days;
- If you have 5,001-10,000 units, the period is 100 days; and
- If you have more than 10,000 units, the period is 110 days.
However, if you have not received replacement frequencies at the time of the TA's approval of your PFA, the calculation of the planning period will run from the day you receive your new frequency assignments.
If you require additional time to complete planning, you may request an extension from the PSHSB. You must provide the reasons why more time is necessary and demonstrate that you have exercised diligence in
the time already allotted. You should file extension requests with the PSHSB at the following email address: PSHSB800@fcc.gov and copy the TA at TAMediation@ssd.com.
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Frequency Reconfiguration Agreement (FRA) Negotiations
After completing your planning activities and submitting a cost estimate to Sprint Nextel, you will have 30 days to negotiate a Frequency Reconfiguration Agreement with Sprint Nextel. If you are unable to negotiate an FRA within 30 days, you and Sprint
Nextel will participate in active mediation for 20 days. If you do not reach agreement during the mediation period, the TA will refer any remaining disputed issues to the PSHSB within 10 days of the close of the mediation period.
If you are not planning to enter into a Planning Funding Agreement with Sprint Nextel, the TA will announce your negotiation schedule at a later date. You are encouraged to begin planning or preparing a cost estimate for the reconfiguration of your
system to the extent that these activities are not frequency-dependent.
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