Public-safety one step closer to getting D-Block spectrum

The Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act is headed toward the full Senate for confirmation, after clearing the committee by a 21-4 vote, one more step in getting a nationwide public-safety network. Key provisions of the bill direct the Federal Communications Commission to lease the public-safety spectrum on a secondary basis and to establish an incentive auction, where companies can be paid for relinquishing spectrum to the government.
The bill encompasses most of the key components desired by the Obama Administration and the FCC. Along with allocating 10 megahertz of D-block spectrum to public safety, the bill would give an estimated $10 billion in surplus revenue from auctions to the treasury for debt reduction, as well as direct the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to conduct research into transformative wireless technologies.
“Today’s vote and the strong endorsement of the public safety network get us closer to our goal—making things safer for Americans and first responders,” said Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) chairman of the committee approving the proposed legislation. “I am glad that we have cleared this bill out of the committee, and I intend to have conversations with leadership immediately about timing for a vote by the full Senate. I strongly encourage my colleagues in the House to also move forward with this legislation so that we can sign it into law by September, the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.”
Reaction was positive from lobbying groups. The Connect Public Safety Now Coalition, which was seeking an amendment that would establish all 700 MHz devices be interoperable across all bands, also was satisfied with the action. the organization said. The coalition supports a proposed amendment by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Mo.) and Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) that would require any 700 MHz devices deployed one year after the bill is enacted be capable of operating on any 700 MHz network.
The amendment was not included in the draft bill, but the coalition said Rockefeller has indicated he will continue to work on it.
This issue is important to smaller operators, which claim they will be left out of 4G deployments if 700 MHz interoperability is not mandated by the government. Today, Verizon Wireless requires its LTE equipment manufacturers to only support Band 13 at 700 MHz, while AT&T Mobility’s LTE network runs on Band 17. Device manufacturers can support however many bands they want, but the legislation would force interoperability with the larger operators, a move smaller operators have been trying to get approved at the FCC.
“We are pleased that Chairman Rockefeller has pledged his support for interoperability across the 700 MHz band. We look forward to working with him, Senators Wicker and Begich, and a bipartisan group of other members of the Senate Commerce Committee over the next few weeks to mandate interoperability across the 700 MHz band, thereby ensuring competitive opportunities for all interested carriers to partner with the public safety community to deploy a nationwide wireless interoperable broadband network.”