FCC Record, Volume 26, No. 7, Pages 4843 to 5761, March 28 - April 08, 2011 Page: 5,080

regional plans must include an explanation of how all eligible entities within the region were given such
notice.7 For the initial meeting, called by the convenor to form the RPC and hold elections, the
Commission requires at least sixty days notice.' In developing their regional plans, RPCs must ensure
that their proposed plans comply with the rules and policies governing the 700 MHz public safety
regional planning process.9 We also encourage the RPCs to consider utilizing the guidelines developed
by the Public Safety National Coordination Committee (NCC).10 RPCs may approach the assignment of
the spectrum differently. e.g., by making specific assignments to eligible public safety entities, or by
establishing an allotment pool approach based on political boundaries such as counties.
On July 31, 2007, the Commission adopted a Second Report and Order revising the rules
governing wireless licenses in the 700 MHz band." The Commission adopted a plan for the 700 MHz
band to establish a nationwide, interoperable public safety broadband communications network for the
benefit of state and local public safety users. The Commission designated the lower half of the 700 MHz
public safety band for broadband communications (763-768/793-798 MHz) and consolidated existing
narrowband allocations in the upper half of the public safety 700 MHz band (769-775/799-805 MHz).
The Region 31 700 MIHz Plan. The Region 31 Plan pre-allocates the consolidated narrowband
General Use spectrum by county.'2 The Plan was coordinated with all four adjacent regions to Region 31
including: Region 10 (Georgia), Region 37 (South Carolina), Region 39 (Tennessee) and Region 42
(Virginia)."3 We have reviewed the Region 31 Plan and find it to be compliant with the applicable
Commission rules and policies, and tentatively accept the Plan.
Prior to taking further action on the Plan, by this Public Notice, we solicit comments on the
Region 31 Plan. Pursuant to Sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. 1.415,
1.419, interested parties may file comments on the Region 31 700 MHz Plan on or before April 25, 2011,
and reply comments on or before May 5, 2011. All comments and reply comments should reference the
subject Plan and WT Docket No. 02-378. Comments and reply comments may be filed by using (1) the
Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), (2) the Federal Government's eRulemaking
7 d. at 193-94 1 84. RPCs must promptly adopt operating procedures that "ensure that all entities will be given
reasonable notice of all committee meetings and deliberations." Id at 195 86.
8 Id. at 195 186 & n.220.
' 47 C.F.R. 90.527; see also First Report and Order, 14 FCC Rcd at 190-96 1 77-89.
10 The NCC was a federal advisory committee established by the Commission in 1999 to address and advise the
Commission on operational and technical parameters for use of the 700 MHz public safety band. In addition, the
NCC was tasked with providing voluntary assistance in the development of coordinated regional plans, and
developed a Regional Planning Guidebook Following the sunset of the NCC's charter on July 25, 2003, the
National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) agreed to continue to provide assistance to regional
planners. A copy of the 700 MHz Regional Planning Guidebook is available at
http://www.npstc.org/nccsubcom. jsp.
" Implementing a Nationwide, Broadband, Interoperable Public Safety Network in the 700 MHz Band;
Development of Operational, Technical and Spectrum Requirements for Meeting Federal, State and Local Public
Safety Communications Requirements Through the Year 2010, PS Docket No. 06-229, WT Docket No. 96-86,
Second Report and Order, 22 FCC Rcd 15289 (2007) (Second Report and Order).
12 See Plan, Appendix H - Region 31 Channel Allotments at 89-112 (Region 31 defines a county-like area to include
the geo-political boundaries of a given county plus 5 miles).
3 See Plan, Appendix E - Adjacent Region Concurrences at 65-68; see also Plan, Appendix F - Inter-regional
Dispute Resolution Agreements at 69-85.

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