COMMERCIAL WIRELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS ACCESS
ACCESS TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROPERTY BY COMMERCIAL WIRELESS PROVIDERS
The DoD Joint Spectrum Center (JSC) can assist commercial wireless service providers in siting antennas on Federal property.
Provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and an Executive Memorandum signed by President Clinton in August 1995, provide for the US Government to accommodate commercially-owned antennas on Federal property. Guidelines for complying with these measures have been provided in a GSA Bulletin (FPMR D-242), which states in part:
Antenna Siting shall be done in accordance with Federal, state, and local laws and regulations and consistent with national security concerns (including minimizing mutual electromagnetic interactions) ... agencies shall charge fees based on market value for siting antennas ... and may use competitive procedures if all applicants cannot be accommodated.
Applying these guidelines to Defense facilities, the Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense for C3I issued a memorandum on 15 December 1997 which states:
To ensure no adverse impacts to DoD systems, Commanders and/or Agency Directors shall coordinate requests for the placement of new telecommunications services on Federal property with the Joint Spectrum Center. The JSC will evaluate the proposed antenna siting ... for potential electromagnetic interference to existing or planned telecommunications operations of the affected government facility. The requestor will be required to reimburse the JSC for the costs.
What does this mean to you?
As a commercial provider of SMR, PCS, cellular, microwave, etc., you can enlist the services of the JSC to help gain access to Federal facilities for antenna / transmitter installation. The GSA and the DoD require that electromagnetic interference to current or future base electronics be determined and minimized before such access is granted. As a DoD center for spectrum-related analysis and engineering for the past 37 years, the JSC is in an excellent position to assist in making this determination. We have the models and expertise to do these analyses in a timely and economical manner.
For support, email msp@jsc.mil, or call DSN 281-2103 or (410) 293-2103.