More public-safety entities seek 700 MHz waivers
Twelve additional public-safety groups have asked the FCC for waivers letting them build out broadband networks on spectrum licensed to the Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST) during the two months since the FCC granted 21 waivers for such 700 MHz broadband-network buildouts in May.
Notable waiver applicants include entities representing the statewide organizations in Maryland, Louisiana, Georgia and Nevada; the cities of Chicago, Philadelphia and Las Vegas; and several counties, such as Nassau County, N.Y., Fairfax County, Va., and 11 counties in Pennsylvania.
With the first 21 waiver applicants, the FCC granted the requests with a single order, but FCC spokesman Rob Kenny declined to speculate whether the agency would take a similar approach with the dozen most recent application but said that each is “certainly under consideration.” All requests will be judged on their individual merits, he said.
Public-safety officials have supported the FCC granting 700 MHz broadband waivers, because they hope that early buildouts of such LTE systems can provide real-world data on deployment, usage and business models that could help other entities in the country deploy their systems. Both the FCC and public safety have stressed the need for early 700 MHz deployments to be built in a manner that allows the networks to work within the framework of a national interoperable system in the band.
The following groups are seeking 700 MHz broadband waivers:
- Las Vegas Metro Police, Washoe County Sheriff, Washoe Regional Communications System, Nevada Department of Transportation and NV Energy on behalf of the state of Nevada;
- Nassau County, N.Y.;
- State of Maryland;
- County of Delaware, Pa.;
- South Central Task Force (Pennsylvania’s Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties);
- Louisiana Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee;
- City of Chicago;
- Georgia Broadband Alliance;
- Lackawanna County, Pa.;
- Fairfax County, Va.;
- County of Bucks, Pa.; and
- City of Philadelphia.
