APCO, other agencies support review of Nextel proposal
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International, along with six other public safety agencies, have told the Federal Communications Commission it believes the commission should proceed with consideration of Nextel Communications’ proposal to swap public safety spectrum as a solution to expand, realign and further protect public safety communications, calling it a “major step in the right direction.”
In a letter dated Nov. 21, APCO International, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Major Cities Chiefs Association, National Sheriffs’ Association, Major County Sheriffs’ Association and the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council wrote, “… We believe that the basic elements of this proposal … have the potential to substantially improve the quality and quantity of public safety communications.”
APCO and its sister agencies pointed out the proposal will impose a considerable and undetermined cost on some public safety licensees and emphasized “our support for this or any similar approach will be contingent upon adequate funds being put forward to cover all of the implementation costs imposed on existing public safety licensees.”