Policy & Law Commentary

APParently, the world has gone amok

I need first responders to have as much information as possible, so they can do their jobs more effectively and more safely.

LTE equipment configuration makes guard-band question a key item

For public safety — already arguing that 5 x 5 MHz is not enough to serve its broadband needs while asking Congress to reallocate the D Block to first responders — a 3 x 3 network would constrict the network capacity enough that partnerships with even government entities would be difficult to execute, much less some of the more innovative partnerships proposed with critical-infrastructure entities such as hospitals and utilities.

New day, new problem

The good news is that the Canadian authorities agreed to grandfather approximately 80% of the erroneously granted systems. The bad news is that numerous public-safety licensees now face a drastic reduction of their ERP, which unquestionably will result in a loss of coverage.

Know thy enemy

There never seems to be enough money to keep emergency-response departments adequately staffed, or personnel effectively trained. There never seems to be enough money to maintain public-safety radio systems, much less upgrade them. Yet, there always seems to be a bottomless bucket of money available to build stadiums.

FCC opens debate on guard-band issue

Most industry sources seem to believe the FCC is asking the right questions regarding the matter, but the agency’s timing is a concern. Less than two weeks ago, the FCC ruled that 21 public-safety entities could use all 10 MHz of PSST spectrum to build their networks, and some of them supposed are ready to begin deployments in a matter of months.

Can Congress keep up with the FCC’s pace on 700 MHz?

Continuing its relatively speedy movements on the 700 MHz public-safety broadband network, the FCC yesterday released an order granting the waiver requests of 21 jurisdictions that want to build early wireless broadband networks that eventually would be integrated into the proposed nationwide system.

Waiver actions promise to be a big step in 700 MHz saga

If granted, the waiver jurisdictions would have the right to deploy LTE networks for first-responder use. In the process, a number of nagging questions regarding the proposed 700 MHz networks could be addressed in a real-world environment, instead of being debated only in white papers premised on assumptions that must be based on speculation.

911 sector needs to work on its image

How can anyone think that what goes on in a public-safety answering point isn’t a profession and, by extension, those who handle those tasks aren’t professionals?

Mother knows best

Our world is a complicated place. As such, the communications that support the continued functionality of society must be the first thought, not an afterthought.

Stop bullying — or else

Much has been written about public-safety entities’ shared frustration with 800 MHz rebanding and the players involved in that effort. However, when compared to the way that many regional planning committees work, the rebanding process seems entirely logical.

APParently, the world has gone amok

LTE equipment configuration makes guard-band question a key item

New day, new problem

Know thy enemy

FCC opens debate on guard-band issue

Can Congress keep up with the FCC’s pace on 700 MHz?

Waiver actions promise to be a big step in 700 MHz saga

911 sector needs to work on its image

Mother knows best

Stop bullying — or else

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