Renewal Statement

0159-EX-RR-2005 Text Documents

Mountain Telecommunications Inc.

2005-11-09ELS_73437

NARRATIVE STATEMENT OF MOUNTAIN TELECOMMUNICATIONS INC
IN SUPPORT OF APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL OF EXPERIMENTAL
LICENSE WD2XMB

The applicant, Mountain Telecommunications, Inc., seeks by this application to

continue the experimental project currently operating in Cottonwood, Arizona pursuant to

the Experimental License for WD2XMB (File No. 0182-EX-PL-2004). The applicant

seeks to extend this experiment for an additional 18 months.

1. Current Authorization and Testing

MTI is a local telephone company providing enhanced services throughout the

State of Arizona. Under experimental license WD2XMB, MTI has been conducting tests

of access BPL services over medium and low voltage power lines utilizing the Mitsubishi

Equipment at locations in Cottonwood, Arizona. MTI has been working with Mitsubishi

and APS, Arizona’s largest and longest-serving electrical utility, to test and develop the

Mitsubishi Equipment, test consumer acceptance, compliance with FCC emissions

requirements and coordination with local radio users such as the amateur radio operators.

2. Justification for Renewal

The experiment has been very useful in allowing MTI and APS to develop system

deployment and operations information to support commercial scale deployments of

access BPL. In addition, the Cottonwood test bed has been invaluable to Mitsubishi,

providing a means for testing its system designs in an operational setting. In addition, the

Cottonwood experiment has provided the participants with significant experience and

information used to develop interference avoidance and mitigation techniques (e.g.

frequency notching and signal attenuation) to prevent harmful interference with local

radio users. Further work is necessary, however.

As the applicant and its partners prepare to move into a larger scale deployment

phase (for which the applicant will seek the appropriate additional authority) of access

BPL testing, the availability of a test bed for configuration and deployment testing will be

critically important. Cottonwood would serve as that test bed. Moreover, the

Cottonwood platform also would serve a similar test bed role as Mitsubishi continues to

fine-tune its equipment in preparation for full FCC certification testing. Thus, the

Cottonwood experiment continues to be important in the final stages of testing necessary

for full commercial deployment of the Mitsubishi equipment.

In addition, the applicant seeks to continue its coordination work with the local

amateur radio users in Cottonwood. MTI has developed a sound working approach with

the local amateur radio users group in order to ensure that as the Mitsubishi equipment is

further refined in preparation for final testing and commercial deployment, it will be able

to mitigate any potential harm to amateur radio operators. This activity is a critical aspect

of MTI’s deployment efforts for access BPL.

3. Conclusion

As the Commission has recognized,1 access BPL is an important technology for

providing broadband services to those that might not have access to such services, as well

as provided solid competition for such services in areas that have access. Consumers

certainly will benefit where they otherwise could not get service, and the benefit to

consumers of increased competition is well known to the Commission. Grant of this

application will serve the goals of the Commission as stated in the Report and Order, and

will help to ensure the availability of this important new technology for delivery of

1
Access Broadband Power Line Systems, Report and order (FCC 04-245), in ET Docket No. 04-37/04-104
(released October 28, 2004).

broadband services to consumers as the applicant moves into the final experimental

stages of its effort and prepares for commercial deployment.

Document Created: 2005-11-10 07:42:09
Document Modified: 2005-11-10 07:42:09

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