WASHINGTON-Senate communications subcommittee Chairman Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) and Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) have asked Federal Communications Commission Chairman Bill Kennard to reconsider rules they believe hurt emergency road service communications, such as those relied on by the American Automobile Association and others.
“We are concerned that the categorization of auto emergency services as industrial/business services will place a difficult burden on auto emergency services and adversely affect the ability of emergency road service organizations and other entities from providing the public-safety function they provide,” the two lawmakers said in a Feb. 17 letter to Kennard.
In its `refarming’ ruling, the FCC consolidated 20 private wireless services into a public-safety pool and an industrial/business pool.
Burns and Dorgan pointed out the 1997 budget act exempted emergency road services form spectrum auctions.
“This exemption,” they said, “was provided because Congress recognized the unique nature of emergency road services offered by non-public entities and the important public-safety function these entities provide.”
“The commission’s decision regarding these services fails adequately to consider the substantial public-safety aspect of the services provided by non-public entities that provide emergency road services,” Burns and Dorgan added.
