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Spectrum relocation
'Auction 66' forces move to new frequencies for federal agencies
Apr 11, 2008
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by James Careless
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You may have never heard of the 1710-1755 MHz band, but bureaus from a dozen federal agencies are very familiar with this particular slice of the spectrum. It's used to transmit wireless video surveillance, military communications, telemetry, and more. But not for much longer -- it's been sold to commercial wireless carriers.
On Sept. 18, 2006, the Federal Communications Commission auctioned licenses for Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) on radio spectrum in the 1710-1755 MHz and 2110-2155 MHz bands. The FCC raised $13.7 billion in net winning bids in what was known as "Auction 66," all of which went into the federal treasury.
The displaced agencies are now being moved to other bands, with the cost of doing so -- including new equipment -- being covered by the federally underwritten Spectrum Relocation Fund. (Some relocations are eligible for relocation funds from other federal sources, and will not be covered by the SRF.) According to a February 2007 report from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to Congress, the total cost of relocating federal users is estimated at just over $1 billion, leaving a net profit of just under $12.7 billion.
Staggered Approach
Based on NTIA figures, there are close to 1,900 frequency assignments that will have to be relocated. "Federal communications systems utilize these frequency assignments to transmit voice, data, and video information to facilitate agency operations," according to the report. "The majority of the affected systems are fixed microwave systems, which transmit voice and data signals from site to site to enable a variety of agency activities. Other systems are more specialized, such as law enforcement video and voice surveillance. In addition, several agencies utilize mobile aeronautical systems to facilitate national security and research activities."
The spectrum reallocation will be a staggered, multi-year effort. A few hundred frequencies will be relocated this year, with the majority of moves in 2009 and 2010. Some frequency assignments are not scheduled to be released until 2011, and 18 U.S. Navy systems are in protected sites and could remain indefinitely.
The Air Force has to move 46 frequency allocations as a result of Auction 66. Major systems affected by the relocation include tactical control links, which support precision guided munitions, and fixed point-to-point microwave systems, which support many range communication requirements. Fixed point-to-point microwave systems, video/telemetry systems, security video microwave systems, and data links for the Standoff Land Attack Missile - Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) are some of the major Navy systems affected by the relocation of 173 of its frequency assignments.
And the Army has to move 210 frequency allocations primarily used by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. "The systems used by USACE are fixed point-to-point microwave links utilized for a variety of information transfer applications," the report noted. "Voice traffic is in support of various navigation, coastal, flood control, and other specialized operations needed to support the mission on a daily basis. Data traffic can range from sending continuous streams of hydrological data, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) connections, and radio remote audio/control applications."
The Department of Homeland Security has to relocate various channels used for covert operations by customs officers as well as members of the Secret Service. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives has covert surveillance video of its own that will have to move, while Drug Enforcement Administration video and audio surveillance in the United States and Puerto Rico will need to relocate.
Military and law enforcement agencies aren't the only ones affected. At NASA, the Johnson Space Center will have to replace a transportable covert video surveillance system, and the Dryden Flight Research Center will need to change its air-to-ground video telemetry system.
The Bright Side
Wireless communication equipment manufacturers like Global Microwave Services, Microwave Radio Communications, Nucomm, and RF Central are ready to assist with relocation efforts. Granted, Auction 66 should provide sales opportunities for the companies, but the relocation can also be seen as a positive push for these agencies toward improved digital technologies.
"This is a great opportunity for government users to update their equipment to more efficient, more capable digital technology," said Sam Nasiri, president and CEO of GMS. "They can take advantage of Auction 66 to move into the 21st century, with the CRF footing the bill in many, many cases."
"By switching to digital transmission, agencies will be able to take advantage of COFDM technology," added Norman Stein, RF Central's vice president of media and government programs. "COFDM has the ability to receive signals from various sources and sum them into a usable transmission. This means that users will be able to get signals received in conditions that they never could before, include non-line-of-sight."
As for the boost in sales that the Auction 66 transition will spur? It should happen ... eventually. "We have been waiting for the transition to take place for the past four years," admitted Nasiri. "Unfortunately, this delay has hurt our business, because federal agencies have held off buying equipment in anticipation of making wholesale upgrades."
MORE INFO
Global Microwave Services gmsinc.com
Microwave Radio Communications mrcbroadcast.com
Nucomm nucomm.com
RF Central rfcentral.com
Another Eviction
Government agencies aren't alone in facing such a fundamental disruption in their RF systems. In the world of commercial television, TV stations are having to undergo a similar change in the 2 GHz band, the spectrum used by their microwave trucks and other Broadcast Auxiliary Services (BAS).
Again, the FCC dealt away spectrum, this time to Sprint Nextel as part of a spectrum swap to reduce interference to first responder radios in the 700 and 800 MHz bands. Sprint Nextel is footing the bill for equipment replacement, but the process has already missed its November 2007 deadline and is now due to finish sometime in 2009.
Impacted Agencies
Department of Agriculture
Department of Defense
Department of Energy
Department of Homeland Security
Department of the Interior
Department of Justice
Department of Transportation
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of the Treasury
NASA
Tennessee Valley Authority
U.S. Postal Service
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