Select Spectrum

Two-Way radios are very useful for reliable communications in Manufacturing, Government/Public Safety, Construction, Utility, Oil and Gas, and many other industries. The devices are low-latency, dependable and can have great battery life. However, in the age where everyone has a cell phone, what are the benefits in having dedicated radio communication systems?

Two-Way Radios are location based and can transmit voice or sensor data over the air.  The distance a signal can travel is determined by the frequency, the terrain and the number of repeaters in the area.  The signal doesn’t need expensive towers to form a connection and are highly reliable.

Many different frequency options are available for two-way applications: 150 MHz, 220 MHz, 450 MHz, Upper 700 MHz A Block, or 800/900 MHz channels.  With all else being equal, lower frequencies (such as 150 MHz) propagate better than higher frequencies such as 900 MHz.  However, there are many factors to consider when selecting which band is best suited for your purposes: FCC regulations, spectrum & equipment costs, market availability, site-based vs. area-based licensing, and more.

Two-Way radios also have the ability to broadcast selectively, from one person to another person, or broadly, from one person to many.  Likewise, sensor signals can be sent on a point-to-point or point-to-multipoint basis.

Most importantly, with two-way radios, if your cellular service goes down, you can still have a functional workforce.  This is especially critical during emergency situations, when 99.999% reliability is key to allow communication.

 

Cellular phones, through a traditional carrier, are important to the workforce as well. The primary benefit is that the phone has a nationwide reach.  In addition, a smart phone can have features such as a data plan, can connect to local WiFi and can host larger bandwidth tools such as apps, video and web access.  However, cellular phones data plans ultimately are dependent on another company’s network.  If there is poor signal in the area, or if there are too many people using the network, the call can fail.

By having two separate but direct tools, companies can save money, time and keep working no matter the work conditions. With its own customized network, a company can feel safe when conditions go down and the radio network keeps everything running smoothly. With two-way radios and a traditional network, whatever the use-case the situation will be fully covered.

For more information:

• 150 MHz
• 220 MHz 
• 450 MHz 
• Upper 700 MHz A Block Band
• 800 MHz B/ILT & SMR Bands
• 900 MHz B/ILT & SMR Bands

Do you feel like your technology options aren’t working for you? It might be because you don’t have enough spectrum to power your network.

These 5 reasons might be the source of your network feeling maxed out:

1. Mobile phone use is increasing

“Americans check their phone on average once every 12 minutes” (https://nypost.com/2017/11/08/americans-check-their-phones-80-times-a-day-study/)

2. Sensors

Sensors are gathering more information from each device and an increased number of different devices.   Each sensor needs to transmit its data.   How much data can your current network send and receive?

 

3. More devices are using more bandwidth

“81% of businesses use video as a marketing tool — up from 63%, the number reported in our 2017 survey.”

(https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/state-of-video-marketing-new-data)

4. Drones

Drones can be attached to a cellular network, a private licensed network, a public unlicensed network , or a personal WiFi network.

5. Smart Cities
Cities are getting smarter and using more devices. From intelligent traffic lights to utility meters collecting more information, the grid is becoming larger and more data driven.

(http://www.iotevolutionworld.com/iot/articles/438729-needed-smart-secure-cities.htm)

Megan Finch
info@selectspectrum.com

Select Spectrum President, Robert Finch, demonstrates 220 MHz capacity for surveillance quality video while at the 2018 DistribuTECH conference.

 

 

The short answer, maybe!

Select Spectrum has initiated a lobbying effort in Congress and at the FCC to allow for schools and colleges to apply for 2.5 GHz EBS licenses in areas that are not yet fully licensed. The idea is for the schools to in turn lease the exclusive rights to use the licenses at moderate prices to commercial operators including your company.  The result can be faster, lower cost and better fixed wireless services for your company to deliver to its customers, and the ability to show a differentiating asset to investors.

On Monday, October 16th Bob Finch from Select Spectrum, Julia Morelli from George Mason University Instructional Foundation, Inc., Sam Rock from Gulf Coast Broadband and Todd Smith from Total Spectrum met with Congressional Staff Members to discuss the issue of EBS “not yet licensed space”. Overall the feedback was positive, and we are hopeful the extra push from Congress will make the Consensus Proposal a priority with the FCC.

What you can do to help!

• Donate money to continue the lobbying effort. Select Spectrum has already made the commitment to the lobbyist for the first three months, but we would like to spread the cost among the likely beneficiaries and are fully aware that this issue will take longer than three months.  We will need financial contributions from other companies to continue the lobbying effort. None of the donations will go to Select Spectrum. In fact, Select Spectrum intends to treat the donations to the lobbying effort as an investment and refund all monies participants put into the lobbying effort by offering 50% credits towards future commissions from our 2.5 GHz Spectrum Lease Auctions, for all Auctions that take place after supporters sign up and continue to support the effort.
• Encourage schools in your areas that do not have licenses to write to the FCC to encourage the FCC to approve the Consensus Proposal or something similar.  A sample template letter is available.
  Click here for the steps to file the letter with the FCC.
• Use local political contacts to help expedite the process of encouraging the FCC to issue new EBS licenses.
• Consider meeting with Congress Members, their Staff and/or the FCC to advocate for the Consensus Proposal and most importantly for a prompt decision.  These meetings may either be in the district offices of House Members and Senators.

We need the assistance of commercial operators and educational institutions to help make this a priority for the FCC.

 

http://selectspectrum.com/EBPARC