https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • Product Guides
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookie Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • Product Guides
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

Call Center/Command


700 MHz speculation heats up

700 MHz speculation heats up

Just a year ago, public safety was uncertain when it could access 700 MHz spectrum, whether broadband fit into its communications plans and how such a
  • Written by Urgent Communications Administrator
  • 1st November 2006

Just a year ago, public safety was uncertain when it could access 700 MHz spectrum, whether broadband fit into its communications plans and how such a network could be funded. Today, public-safety officials are voicing support for myriad proposals that call for public-private partnerships to build broadband wireless networks that public safety can use after broadcasters clear the band in February 2009.

Perhaps the most notable development regarding the airwaves was a filing from Motorola generally supporting an Access Spectrum proposal to reallocate the 24 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum already earmarked to public safety. The proposal would consolidate the narrowband channels and would establish 5.5 MHz blocks of contiguous spectrum adjacent to commercial spectrum that could be utilized for broadband offerings (see band plan).

When this “broadband optimization plan” was released earlier this year, concerns surrounding the cost to reprogram more than 550,000 public-safety radios already being used and international border issues were raised.

In early October, Motorola made an ex parte filing with the FCC that effectively endorsed the Access Spectrum plan with a modification that would earmark an internal guard band to support critical-infrastructure usage. In addition, Motorola indicated that “no incremental costs” would be incurred on radios in the field but not yet operating at 700 MHz — a significant concern to public-safety agencies.

Steve Sharkey, Motorola’s director of spectrum and standards strategy, said radios capable of working in the 700 MHz band are dual-band radios that also work at 800 MHz, which is the only band in which they operate today. The dual-band units will not be activated for 700 MHz use until the network infrastructure for the band is in place, Sharkey said.

“When they do that, they need to go in and touch each of those radios to program them for the 700 MHz channels they’ll be operating on,” he said. “They can be programmed to operate on a new channel configuration that has the narrowband channels consolidated at one end of the band. … You’re just touching them and putting in another channel load.”

Sharkey acknowledged that there could be some costs associated with radios on existing 700 MHz systems. However, there are few such systems on the air today, and there is little chance that many more will be operational in the near future, said Steve Devine, patrol frequency coordinator for the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

“Most of the regional planning committees don’t have any idea what to do with that spectrum,” Devine said. “They don’t want to mess with it until they see that, when the music stops, there’s a chair sitting there for them.”

With the 700 MHz Technical Working Group’s filing that outlines a plan to answer the U.S./Canadian border questions, the two major issues surrounding the Access Spectrum proposal have been addressed, Devine said.

“In the end, I think it’s a good plan, and it’s probably something we would have looked at if we were redoing the band today,” he said. “You don’t often get an opportunity to do that.”

Separately, Access Spectrum has proposed auctioning the entire 60 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum to commercial entities as planned. However, the Access Spectrum plan calls for the FCC to grant “preference” to bidders that agree to provide public-safety-grade infrastructure in the public-safety broadband spectrum and give public safety priority access to the commercial spectrum in times of emergency — for free.

Access Spectrum’s proposal utilizes the same spectrum that Verizon Wireless reportedly proposed using in its presentation to public-safety officials in August. However, Verizon Wireless officials have not publicly acknowledged the existence of its reported proposal, so Access Spectrum has the only plan that can be considered formally.

“We’re suggesting that there’s a way that’s doable — without Congressional action — to achieve a majority, if not all, of public safety’s objectives with respect to getting a next-generation broadband network,” said Michael Gottdenker, Access Spectrum Chairman and CEO.

But public-safety officials continue to show increasing interest in a proposal that would require Congress to alter its 700 MHz auction plans. Cyren Call Communications, led by Nextel Communications co-founder Morgan O’Brien, has proposed that an additional 30 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum be allocated to a public-safety trust, which would lease the spectrum to commercial operators willing to build public-safety-grade broadband networks nationwide in a public/private partnership.

In October, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the Western Fire Chiefs Association — representing fire organizations in 10 western states — passed resolutions endorsing the concept without specifying Cyren Call’s proposal.

Harlin McEwen, chairman of the IACP’s communications and technology committee, said his organization’s resolution is worded to indicate that IACP believes the nationwide broadband network primarily will be for data and serve as a backup for traditional land mobile radio voice communications.

“We’re really worried about the fact that we know some people will seize upon it and say, ‘Then you don’t need any more money for land-mobile interoperability, operability or systems,’” McEwen said. “We have to make clear that we won’t settle for that because that is critical to us.”

Whether the Cyren Call proposal is seriously considered will depend upon Congress agreeing to let the FCC alter plans for the 700 MHz auction, currently scheduled to begin before Jan. 28, 2008. The topic has not received much attention on Capitol Hill thus far — something that probably will not change when Congress reconvenes in mid-November for a lame-duck session to address budget matters.

“We’ve concentrated the last three months on increasing public safety’s awareness and to generate their interest, and things seem to be coming along very nicely,” said Bruce Cox, Cyren Call’s vice president for government relations.

Cox said the best opportunity for Cyren Call to be considered by Congress will be early in the next session, beginning next year. McEwen echoed that sentiment.

“We’ve had little or no discussions on the Hill,” McEwen said. “Everything has bogged down in the last few months leading up to the elections.”

State agency invests in wireless data solution

Advanced Technology Systems landed a $1 million, three-year contract from the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center for its Voyager Secure Wireless Data solution. The solution will support and manage statewide enterprise wireless systems housing criminal-justice data, according to the company.

Cardinals stadium deploys 802.11 system

Cellular Specialties installed a technology-neutral distributed antenna system at University of Phoenix Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, Ariz. The facility-wide wireless voice and data solution provides 802.11 connectivity, the company said.

Tags: Call Center/Command content Policy

Most Recent


  • Public-safety coalition renews efforts to secure federal NG911 funding
    A coalition of public-safety associations today reiterated its support for federal legislation that would provide the funding needed to pay for 911 centers to migrate from legacy technologies to an IP-based next-generation 911 (NG911) platform that is designed to support multimedia communications, as well as traditional voice calls. Representatives of the Public Safety Next Generation […]
  • 700 MHz speculation heats up
    Newscan: Cyberattacks on DoE national labs draw lawmaker scrutiny
    Web Roundup Items from other news organizations Cyberattacks on DoE national labs draw lawmaker scrutiny Blinken postpones trip to Beijing after Chinese spy balloon spotted over U.S., officials say To protect satellites, secure your networks, chief of space ops says Ransomware offlines Arizona’s largest school district Mending the fabric: FCC says to file broadband-location challenges […]
  • The shine begins to wear off 5G private wireless
    Verizon had high hopes for private wireless networking. The company had predicted that by now it would be well on its way to making billions of dollars from the sale of custom 4G and 5G networks dedicated exclusively to its enterprise customers. Indeed, during 2021 Verizon execs pegged the total addressable market for private wireless at around […]
  • Phishers trick Microsoft into granting them 'verified' Cloud Partner status
    Late last year, a group of threat actors managed to obtain “verified publisher” status through the Microsoft Cloud Partner Program (MCPP). This allowed them to surpass levels of brand impersonation ordinarily seen in phishing campaigns, as they distributed malicious applications bolstered by a verified blue badge only ever given to trusted vendors and service providers in […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

To leave a comment login with your Urgent Comms account:

Log in with your Urgent Comms account

Or alternatively provide your name, email address below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • New Orleans-area 911 center inks multiyear APEX deal with Carbyne to replace call-handling system
  • 700 MHz speculation heats up
    Newscan: Feds recover millions from pipeline ransom hackers, hint at U.S. Internet tactic
  • Cyber is the new Cold War, and AI is the arms race
  • Private wireless networks in the US start going public

Commentary


How 5G is making cities safer, smarter, and more efficient

26th January 2023

3GPP moves Release 18 freeze date to March 2024

18th January 2023

Do smart cities make safer cities?

  • 1
6th January 2023
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

Public-safety coalition renews efforts to secure federal NG911 funding dlvr.it/ShwGfn

4th February 2023
UrgentComm

Newscan: Cyberattacks on DoE national labs draw lawmaker scrutiny dlvr.it/Shvpw3

3rd February 2023
UrgentComm

The shine begins to wear off 5G private wireless dlvr.it/Shth0P

3rd February 2023
UrgentComm

Phishers trick Microsoft into granting them ‘verified’ Cloud Partner status dlvr.it/Shqngn

2nd February 2023
UrgentComm

Shapeshifting robot can morph from a liquid to a solid dlvr.it/Shqk9K

2nd February 2023
UrgentComm

Automakers against stampede to BEV dominance dlvr.it/ShpX08

2nd February 2023
UrgentComm

FCC nominee Gigi Sohn headed for third Senate hearing dlvr.it/ShpDcZ

1st February 2023
UrgentComm

Sign up to learn how to successfully manage your Motorola ASTRO® 25 System: spr.ly/60143j8fp https://t.co/XcxiUwzN27

1st February 2023

Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.