FCC previews public safety plans

As the Federal Communications Commission prepares to present its National Broadband Plan to Congress March 17, the agency released details of its plans to create an interoperable wireless network for first responders. The lack of such a network has been a point of contention in the public safety community for years, and underscored during man made and natural disasters like the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has been on a media tour recently as he promotes the agency’s plan and releases some details on the initiative. On Thursday, Genachowski and Small Business Administrator Karen Mills plan to discuss how the broadband plan will aid small businesses. Last week Genackowski outlined the public-safety initiative under the broadband plan, and last month pledged to free up 500 megahertz of spectrum for commercial purposes.
The FCC is recommending that Congress fund a nationwide interoperable wireless broadband network for public safety, putting aside between $12 billion and $16 billion over 10 years to create a $6 billion grant program to help build the network. The commission also is moving ahead with the D-block auction, an auction tried under former FCC chairman Kevin Martin’s leadership, which failed to get anyone to meet the minimum qualifying bid amount.
“The private sector simply is not going to build a nationwide, state-of-the-art, interoperable broadband network for public safety on its own dime,” Genachowski said. “Local municipalities and states can certainly contribute some amount to sustaining any network that is built. But the bottom line is that if we want to deliver on what our first responders need to protect our communities and loved ones, public money will need to be put toward tackling this national priority.”
Genachowski said he expects as much as 80 megahertz can be made available to public safety in the 700 MHz band through priority access and roaming agreements. (AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless and Qualcomm Inc. were among the big winners for 700 MHz licenses in 2008, but Genachowski did not specify where in the 700 MHz band he would be looking for roaming partners.)
The chairman also said the commission needs to develop a long-term plan because public safety could require even more spectrum in the future. The agency is also recommending a competitive environment to build the network. “To that end, our approach does not limit the public safety community to one potential partner. Instead, public safety can select any commercial operator it determines it is appropriate or, if it prefers, a systems integrator to partner with.”
The plan also recommends increasing cyber-security and methods to ensure critical infrastructure survives during disasters as well as proposes ways to advance 911 and public alert initiatives.