FCC grants streamlined request process for experimental radio licenses at Virginia Tech

From: Division of Information Technololgy

Virginia Tech’s Division of Information Technology was recently granted a Program Experimental License (PEL) by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This establishes an “umbrella” over the Blacksburg campus, Kentland Farm, the Virginia Tech Research Center-Arlington, and Academic Building One (Alexandria) that simplifies the process of gaining individual experimental radio licenses significantly. This is intended to increase opportunities for research and education experiments in wireless communications and related technologies at Virginia Tech.

Licensees can apply for any frequencies they wish to use except for the particularly sensitive “restricted bands” listed in FCC rules Section 15.205(a). An applicant needing to operate in these bands can instead apply for a conventional experimental license. Special requirements apply to frequencies used for commercial mobile (cell, PCS, 3G, 4G, and more), emergency notifications, and public safety.

For more information, review this 4Help Knowledge Base Article or contact the PEL support group at nispelmanager-g@vt.edu.