Policy & Law Commentary

What to do about narrowbanding?

Until public officials make narrowbanding a priority, the money that is needed to execute the migration isn’t going to flow. In that regard, it doesn’t really matter how proactive a public-safety representative is about narrowbanding.

28 days and counting

Exactly one month from today, the FCC is required to submit its national broadband plan to Congress. Based on comments made by Jamie Barnett, chief of the agency’s public safety and homeland security bureau, the much-anticipated report will not include any recommendation that the 700 MHz D Block should be reallocated for public-safety usage instead of the current plans for commercial operation on the spectrum.

Motorola split a long time coming

What took so long — two years to create a plan to split the company that will take another year to occur? If industry reports can be believed, Motorola initially spent a lot of time trying to sell the commercial handset division but found no takers.

Competitive, technical realities strengthen case for D Block reallocation

Believe it or not, it’s been two years since the FCC failed in its attempt to auction 700 MHz D Block spectrum to a commercial operator under the condition that the winning bidder would have to negotiate a deal with the Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST) to build a nationwide broadband wireless network for first responders.

2010 could be a turning point for public-safety communications

Several vendors have software-defined multiband radios available on the market, and next-generation satellite services will become a reality this year. Standards for next-generation 911 system largely should be finalized this year, with some next-gen emergency-calling centers scheduled to begin receiving “live” calls as early as this summer.

FCC must keep NG-911-ready PSAPs from becoming wallflowers

In today’s 911 world, standards and relationships exist that facilitate the location of a caller. They don’t exist relevant to an all-IP world. That has to change.

Another fiasco looms

I received a phone call last month from Senior Writer Donny Jackson, who was hustling about the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials winter conference. He told me of a conversation he had with a communications official from a major East Coast city police department. What the official said, if true, should send a shiver up the spine of everyone at the FCC.

Why IWCE is a must

Given the myriad communications challenges facing government agencies, IWCE 2010 in Las Vegas needs to be on your calendar.

Do yourself a favor

While the Jan. 1, 2011, deadline does not prohibit the sale of wideband-mode radios (it certainly will take some time to delete stock), the availability of new
25 kHz radios post-2010 is a planning issue for licensees.

Public safety still faces uphill battle for D Block

The good news: Jamie Barnett said the broadband plan the FCC has to submit to Congress by March 17 will identify a nationwide public-safety broadband network as a priority and will include a plan to make it happen. The bad news: Barnett described a network configuration that differs significantly from what many in public safety have envisioned, particularly his statement that he does not expect the FCC to recommend that Congress reallocate the D Block for first-responder usage instead of auctioning the spectrum to commercial operators.

What to do about narrowbanding?

28 days and counting

Motorola split a long time coming

Competitive, technical realities strengthen case for D Block reallocation

2010 could be a turning point for public-safety communications

FCC must keep NG-911-ready PSAPs from becoming wallflowers

Another fiasco looms

Why IWCE is a must

Do yourself a favor

Public safety still faces uphill battle for D Block

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