MPSCS Rebanding FAQs
What is the 800 MHz Rebanding Project?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) http://www.fcc.gov/ issued an order in July, 2004) requiring all Public Safety radios (NPSPAC) operating in the 821-824 and 866-869 MHz frequencies to change their operating frequency to a newly created Public Safety Band at 806-809 and 851-854 MHz. The Rebanding Project requires that in the United States all Public Safety radios and their supporting infrastructure (antennas, base stations, etc) must be modified, retuned or replaced in order to operate on the new Public Safety Band. Wave #1, of the project’s four Waves, began July, 2005. Wave #4, which Michigan is a part of, began Oct 1, 2006. Nationwide, the project is to be done by Oct 1, 2008.
Why is this Project Necessary?
The FCC (http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/spectrum/800mhz/bandreconfiguration/downloads/DOC-249414A1.pdf order was in response to extensive evidence of increasing interference, reduced reception and similar problems resulting from the growth of cellular phone use on adjacent frequencies (primarily from Sprint-Nextel cellular users). Sprint-Nextel agreed to pay for the total cost to migrate users of these frequencies to the new Public Safety Band. In return, the FCC agreed to grant exclusive additional band width to Sprint-Nextel upon successful conclusion of the Public Safety user’s migration to the new Public Safety 800 MHz Band. These new Public Safety frequencies have been designed for radios to be more interference resistant from other 800 MHz users in the future. The migration to the new channels was scheduled to be completed by Oct 1, 2008.
How will the Migration be Accomplished?
The FCC created an office of Transition Administrator (TA) http://www.800ta.org/ to plan and manage the transition. It ordered Sprint-Nextel to fund the cost of the TA as well as all costs incurred by Public Safety organizations implementing the rebanding. The TA established a plan to phase in the migration in a series of four “Waves”. Each Wave consists of a group of NPSPAC regions. Michigan, along with most states and regions that border either Canada or Mexico was placed in the Wave #4.
Why is Michigan in the 4th Wave?
The states that border either Canada or Mexico have unique challenges to changing their frequencies. The existing frequencies were created so as to not create interference with those of either country. The new Public Safety frequencies will also have to designed so they will not create interference. The agreements between the countries determine the manner in which these frequency assignments are to be arranged. These agreements are currently being negotiated by the US State Department with Canada and Mexico. Until they are negotiated, the rebanding cannot take place. Michigan and other border states were placed in the 4th Wave in anticipation that the revisions would take time. However, MPSCS has moved forward with planning and other initial steps so that rebanding can take place once the new procedures are in place.
What is the Procedure to get Funding?
Public Safety Licensees are required to develop a plan to migrate their users to the new frequencies by retuning/rebanding existing radios and equipment (or replacing it if it can’t be retuned). The plan is submitted to the TA, who in-turn makes its recommendation for funding to Sprint-Nextel. (In larger systems, funds for preparing the plan itself may be approved.) Upon approval of the Rebanding Plan, funds are provided to the Licensee (and their contractors if needed) to physically touch every radio and either retune it or replace it to operate on the new Public Safety frequencies for their jurisdiction. They will also of course make changes to the supporting infrastructure (antennas, base stations, etc) as needed. The migration is to be accomplished with minimal disruption of Public Safety operations and safety for the public.
I’m a Member of MPSCS. How does our Agency get Funded?
Members of MPSCS, or who have Interagency Agreements with MPSCS, do not have to apply for funding individually. The MPSCS 800 MHz Rebanding Project has been created by MPSCS to plan and carry out the rebanding of its member’s radios and supporting infrastructure. The FCC has ordered that the costs of rebanding are to be borne by Sprint-Nextel. The local users of the 800 MHz Public Safety frequencies are to be migrated to the new Public Safety Band at no cost to them. MPSCS will receive funds from Sprint-Nextel to Reband all of MPSCS member’s (Including those with Interagency Agreements) radios and infrastructure.
Our Organization is not a member of MPSCS. What should we do?
Contact the Transition Administrator http://www.800ta.org/ to determine how the FCC order applies to your situation. The TA will provide information on how to proceed.
What is MPSCS Doing to get the Rebanding Effort Underway?
MPSCS has hired Project Managers, LLC to oversee and manage the overall project. MPSCS has also hired RCC Consultants, Inc. to perform and manage the actual rebanding work at individual member’s sites. RCC initially prepared a request for funding the creation of a plan to guide the MPSCS rebanding effort of all of its member’s radios and infrastructure. Sprint-Nextel agreed to the request and provided funding of $1,883,669 on May 9, 2007.
MPSCS sent a letter to all member organizations dated June 13, 2007 describing the project and the steps to be undertaken from start to finish. It also included a postal reply card to enable the organization to tell MPSCS who in their organization they want to be the Project Contact Person.
Who is calling me and what do they want to know?
The first step in the plan is to verify location and accessibility of the existing inventory of radios and infrastructure. RCC will contact each member organization’s to identify a Project Contact Person and related information. They will also request information on the location of the agency’s radios and related equipment. RCC will generally phone organizations for this information. It will also in some instances come on site to discuss the agency’s particular situation.
RCC has contracted Motorola to provide inventory information on the MPSCS infrastructure sites where antennas, transmitters, etc. are located. These will consist of on-site visits by Motorola technicians.
What Happens after the Inventory has been Completed?
Following the inventory, RCC and Motorola, working closely with MPSCS staff will perform a Frequency Analysis to determine the new frequencies for every member’s radios and infrastructure. This phase will be dependant upon resolution of the Border Frequency Treaty issues previously discussed above. An engineering and implementation plan will be constructed from the information that has been collected.
The inventory, the frequency information and the implementation plan will be used to prepare a budget for the actual rebanding. The budget along with the supporting documentation will be submitted to the TA and Sprint-Nextel. A Funding Rebanding Agreement (FRA) will provide the funds to undertake the actual rebanding.
How Will the Rebanding Be Done?
Every radio – portable or mobile – will have to be individually retuned to the new frequencies by a Project Technician. There are over 36,000 radios at over 1000 agency sites in Michigan. Additionally, there are over 210 Infrastructure sites that will also have to individually retuned. The Rebanding Plan will include a process by which this is to be accomplished in cooperation with the individual MPSCS members. The project will work with you to develop effective and efficient methods that can be used to complete the rebanding while minimizing service interruptions and hassle.
Security – How Do I Verify Project Workers?
All 800 MHz Rebanding Project employees have received a Security Clearance from the Michigan State Police. This includes a criminal background check as well as other relevant information related to the nature of the work to be performed on this project. Every person will have a State of Michigan Photo ID Card which has been issued subsequent to their Security Clearance approval.
The process to verify their identity is on the Project Security Page (Insert URL here) of this Web Site.
How will Rebanding Affect our Communications System?
- Rebanding will not change any of the features or functionality of the radio system,
- The project is required to provide “comparable facilities” on the new frequencies or channels
- The project must provide for a seamless transition to enable operations to continue without interruption during the retuning process.
- The project will not provide funds to improve your existing system. However, the resulting retuning may result in improved operations.
- The changes to the system from retuning may not reduce the level of coverage that is present prior to the retuning.
- Templates/Talk groups will not have to be changed. However, every radio will have to be reprogrammed to operate on the new frequencies.
Do EF Johnson and Kenwood Radios have to be Rebanded?
All Public Safety radios operating in the 800 MHz band must be rebanded. EF Johnson and Kenwood personnel will be contracted by MPSCS to assist in the rebanding of these radios as part of the overall 800 MHz Rebanding Project.
Do I Have to Participate?
In a word: YES. Upon completion of the project, those who do not participate will discover that their radios no longer are able to talk to or receive other’s communications. There are no alternatives if your organization wishes to continue using the 800 MHz Public Safety bandwidth in the future.
Where can I get more information?
- Contact MPSCS by either:
- Phone 517-336-6240
- E-Mail Bakerr4@MI.gov Subject Line: 800 MHz Project
- Transition Administration
- Federal Communications Commission