ARRL Requests Filing Deadline Extension in BPL Proceeding

NEWINGTON, CT, Apr 13, 2004--The ARRL has asked the FCC to extend the deadline for comments and reply comments by 45 days in the Broadband over Power Line (BPL) Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in ET Docket 04-37. Comments now are due by May 3 and reply comments by June 1. Although the FCC does not routinely grant such extensions, the League said it wants to allow time for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to conclude its study at BPL field trial locations. The ARRL said it anticipates the NTIA's report to go public on or around April 16, thus allowing only a couple of weeks at best to evaluate the study's results and incorporate the study's findings into comments in the proceeding.

"This proceeding stands to have a profound effect on the Amateur Radio Service, and a full and complete opportunity to evaluate the results of the NTIA study is critical to the ability of ARRL to respond in a meaningful manner to the proposals in the instant Notice," ARRL said in filing its request April 9. "At the same time, there is no need for any rush to judgment in this proceeding, since BPL trial sites are only now commencing operation."

If the FCC okays the request, the comment date would move to June 14, and the reply comment deadline would become July 16. Granting the request, the ARRL contended, "will have no adverse effect on any interested party to this proceeding."

The League said the new deadlines would provide everyone with approximately 60 days to review and evaluate the NTIA's study before having to file comments. "Should the NTIA report be substantially delayed in its public release, ARRL reserves the right to request additional time as necessary," the League said.

Earlier this year, FCC Chairman Michael Powell turned down a request by US Rep Greg Walden, W7EQI (ex-WB7OCE), who--as a member of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet--had asked the chairman to delay further action on the BPL proceeding until the NTIA study had been completed and stakeholders had had a chance to evaluate it before commenting.

Powell assured Walden February 3 that the FCC would give "thorough consideration" to all BPL studies before it takes any final action in the proceeding. The Commission approved issuance of the BPL NPRM on February 12. Among other provisions, the NPRM would require BPL providers to employ "adaptive interference-mitigation techniques."

A copy of the ARRL's Motion For Extension Of Time To Submit Comments is available on the ARRL Web site. For more information on BPL, visit the "Broadband Over Power Line (BPL) and Amateur Radio" page on the ARRL Web site.

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