Responders Push Spectrum Bill
Desperate for more airwaves to bolster emergency communications, representatives from eight public safety groups worked the halls of Congress this week to press for legislation to grant them rights to spectrum the FCC failed to auction on their behalf, CongressDaily reported. Despite the lobbying blitz, lawmakers were still assessing the proposal and had made no commitments. The groups met with House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., aides to Senate Commerce Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass., and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.
Noting it's been eight years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which highlighted problems with emergency communications, Robert Davis, president of the law enforcement group Major City Chiefs Association, said "We still do not have the ability to communicate with each other. This is unacceptable." But even the staunchest proponents of legislation acknowledge a major obstacle: funding. Estimates range from $6 billion to $30 billion to construct a nationwide broadband network that would improve interoperable communications across agencies and jurisdictions. While some revenue could be raised by leasing excess capacity to commercial outlets, the federal government would foot much of the bill.
The FCC's bid in 2008 to auction the D-block swath of spectrum for public safety use failed after no one cast the minimum bid. The FCC hoped the winning bidder would finance the network's construction. Public safety officials say they would be better served if the frequencies were directly allocated to them, putting emergency groups in charge. First responders want to combine the D-block with an additional 10 MHz they've been granted in an adjacent band to create a robust network that can accommodate cutting-edge wireless data, voice and video technologies.
In an interview, San Jose, Calif., Deputy Policy Chief Chris Moore said Waxman "committed to helping us solve the interoperability problem." The FCC is expected to include recommendations for improving emergency communications in its upcoming national broadband plan, to be presented to Congress March 17.
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