APCO 2014: Day 1

FCC commissioners this week unanimously agreed on new rules for 50 MHz of 4.9 GHz spectrum, establishing a nationwide framework with a single band manager but one that is designed to let individual public-safety licensees retain local control over operations in the band, including support of 5G connectivity. Wednesday’s release of 4.9 GHz rules represent […]

A rash of “swatting” incidents occurred across the country in September. Swatting is the practice of falsely reporting an emergency to elicit a law-enforcement response, ideally one involving the SWAT (special weapons and tactics) team.  As an example, Cincinnati-area high school was placed on lockdown when a 911 call was made to report an active-shooter […]

A coalition of public-safety associations yesterday asked Senate leadership that legislation for next-generation 911 (NG911) be altered to call for “at least $15 billion” in federal funding nationwide and borrowing authority to ensure that deployments can begin as soon as possible. NG911 funding language was passed in the House last month as part of the […]

ANAHEIM—Public Safety NG911 Coalition representatives expressed support for legislation that calls for as much as $10 billion in spectrum-auctions proceeds to be used to fund the transition to next-generation 911 technology, but they want the money to be available soon and believe more than $10 billion is necessary. These statements were made yesterday during a […]