Cyren Call picked as public safety spectrum advisor

The Public Safety Spectrum Trust selected Cyren Call Communications Corp. as its advisor for negotiations with the eventual winner of the commercial-first responder broadband license in the 700 MHz auction, set to begin Jan. 16.
“Although we have selected a single advisor, I’m hopeful that we will reach out to our applicant pool in the future when opportunities to support the public safety network become available,” said Harlin McEwen, chairman of the PSST. “The PSST spent the last several weeks reviewing responses, interviewing prospective candidates and further defining the role of our advisor. The Cyren Call team contains the right mix of skill and experience and we are confident their contributions will make the public safety network a success.”
The PSST, a non-profit entity represented by a cross section of public safety organizations. also issued a statement of requirements for bidders seeking the 700 MHz D-block license-10 megahertz of spectrum adjacent to a separate swath of 24 megahertz of spectrum allocated for public safety communications.
“Our goal is to have as many well-informed bidders for the D-block spectrum as possible,” McEwen said. “The PSST has been hearing from a number of potential bidders and I now encourage all prospective bidders to contact Cyren Call to begin understanding the requirements of public safety for this shared network.”
Cyren Call Chairman Morgan O’Brien said understanding the business dynamic of the public-private partnership will be critical as well. “Our first goal will be to create a better understanding and appreciation of the tremendous business opportunity for the commercial sector to partner with public safety. . A healthy and robust auction will result from potential bidders gaining a clearer understanding of what will be entailed in building, operating and maintaining this shared network to standards that will meet public safety’s expressed needs.”
On a related front, the National Emergency Number Association and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International asked House-Senate conferees negotiating on a fiscal 2008 commerce appropriations bill to appropriate $5 million to fund matching grants for 911 center upgrades.
“Currently over 100 million wireless 911 calls are made every year, but many public safety answering points are unable to locate these calls. The Enhance 911 Act authorized up to $250 million per year for grants to ensure 911 centers have modern technology capable of locating wireless 911 calls. Yet, to date, none of these monies have been appropriated,” stated NENA President Jason Barbour and APCO President Willis Carter in a letter to lawmakers. “We believe that the House approved $5 million, while only a start, could address the emergency communications concerns in the areas of most dire need, mostly in rural America, where the funding has not been made available at the state or local level.”