AHJs and Licensees: Two Sides of the Same Coin

To receive a Certificate of Occupancy for a building, it is now required that the building has adequate radio signal strength for first responders to be able to reliably connect to their team inside and outside the building. Critical areas like elevator lobbies, exit stairwells and exit passageways, have a higher necessity for connectivity. While the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) will make the ultimate decision as to whether the building has sufficient indoor signal strength, there is another important party that must be considered and coordinated with: The FCC Licensee.

The FCC Licensee is responsible for servicing, maintaining and updating the radio network that is used by the first responders in a jurisdiction. Some Licensees hold multiple licenses through multiple jurisdictions. They must be coordinated with because if an Emergency Radio Coverage Enhancement System (ERCES) is improperly installed or improperly commissioned, it could adversely affect the radio towers in the area and ultimately eliminate the ability for all first responders to communicate. The AHJ is concerned with the signal INSIDE the building, the Licensee is concerned with the signal OUTSIDE the building.

So how do you find out who the license holder is for your specific radio tower or jurisdiction? If the AHJ has adopted the 2022 edition of NFPA 1225, section 18.15 states that the AHJ shall have the License Holder's information. If they have not adopted this edition of code, you will need to identify the Licensee's call sign and cross reference the FCC's database to find their contact information. This call sign may be present on radio databases like Radio Reference, although this site may not have the most current or updated information. Sometimes, the Licensee contact information can be found on municipal websites if you know who to look for. The FCC Licensee is also known as Chief Engineer, Communications Systems Manager, Network Communications Specialist, Radio Engineer, Radio Systems Administrator, Telecommunication Coordinator or as simply the Frequency License Holder.

Coordination with the Licensee is essential for ERCES commissioning. During the commissioning process, the Licensee must be notified if and when the donor antenna is connected to the BDA. Also, before the ERCES is allowed to remain connected to the donor antenna and the building inspected for adequate radio signal strength, a Retransmission Agreement must be obtained from the Licensee. This agreement typically remains active for 5 years, when the ERCES must be commissioned again and the Retransmission Agreement renewed. The FCC Licensee will verify BDA uplink measurements and gain settings as well as its effect on the radio tower to ensure it is not negatively affecting the macro network. If the ERCES is in proper working order and the network is not negatively affected by BDA, the Licensee will issue their retransmission agreement.

AHJ and FCC Licensee coordination is essential when installing and commissioning an ERCES. The AHJ verifies adequate signal inside the building and the Licensee makes sure the macro network is protected from inappropriately tuned BDAs or noise interference reaching the local radio towers. Two sides of the same coin, working in tandem to ensure the first responders remain connected during the most critical moments should the unfortunate ever become reality.