GOP Spectrum Bill Could Get Drawn Into Debt Fracas
paidContent.org
The US does not have a nation-wide interoperable public safety network, and for years law enforcement officials have called for the D clock to be allocated for that use. The bill would also exempt the spectrum from the FCC's net neutrality rules, ...

D Block companion bill introduced in the House
Urgent Communications
Legislation that would reallocate 700 MHz D Block spectrum to public safety and provide significant funding for the buildout of a nationwide LTE network has ...

D Block reallocation bill might not be a slam dunk
Urgent Communications
There has been a lot of speculation that federal legislation that would reallocate the 700 MHz airwaves known as the D Block to public safety will be on ...

Multiple Bay Area entities approve new governance structure Urgent Communications ... for a new joint powers authority (JPA) designed to drive the region's effort to have a 700 MHz LTE network for public safety deployed and maintained. ...

Public safety communications: Failure is not an option
Helena Independent Record
Kevin Bruski served as Montana's Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC) from 2009-2011 and as Executive Director of the Interoperability Montana association. Carl Hotvedt retired as chief of the state's Public Safety Services Bureau in 2011 and ...

CITY OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY. Granted the Request for Waiver, as
amended. Action by: Chief, Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety
and Homeland Security Bureau. Adopted: 06/20/2011 by ORDER. (DA No.
11-1084). PSHSB

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1084A1.pdf

DALLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS, TEXAS. Granted the Request for Waiver, as
amended. Action by: Chief, Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety
and Homeland Security Bureau. Adopted: 06/20/2011 by ORDER. (DA No.
11-1086). PSHSB
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1086A1.pdf

TOWN OF ASHLAND, MASSACHUSETTS. Granted the Request for Waiver, as
amended. Action by: Chief, Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety
and Homeland Security Bureau. Adopted: 06/20/2011 by ORDER. (DA No.
11-1083). PSHSB
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1083A1.pdf

TOWNSHIP OF CINNAMINSON, NEW JERSEY. Granted the Request for Waiver,
as amended. Action by: Chief, Policy and Licensing Division, Public
Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. Adopted: 06/20/2011 by ORDER. (DA
No. 11-1085).
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1085A1.pdf

AMENDMENT OF PARTS 1, 2, 22, 24, 27, 90 AND 95 OF THE COMMISSION'S
RULES TO IMPROVE WIRELESS COVERAGE THROUGH THE USE OF SIGNAL BOOSTERS.
Extended the deadlines for filing comments and reply comments concerning
the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing to adopt rules
that facilitate the development and deployment of well-designed signal
boosters. (Dkt No. 10-4 ). Action by: Deputy Chief, Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau. Comments Due: 07/25/2011. Reply Comments
Due: 08/24/2011. Adopted: 06/20/2011 by ORDER. (DA No. 11-1078). WTB
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1078A1.pdf

LTE Support for Mission Critical Voice for Public Safety

06.19.2011 by Andrew M. Seybold

Introduction

LTE or fourth-generation (4G) wireless broadband was designed and implemented primarily as a data over broadband technology. Voice in the form of Voice over IP, which is being designed to implement voice calls in the traditional cellular fashion of dialing a number and completing the call using the LTE network as transport, is being developed. The issue is whether LTE can and will support other types of voice services, specifically Push-To-Talk (PTT) voice and most importantly, PTT off-network, when units are out of coverage of the network or when they need short-range communications in buildings and in other areas where the network does not provide coverage.  ...

FCC CHAIRMAN JULIUS GENACHOWSKI REMARKS ON A NATIONWIDE PUBLIC SAFETY NETWORK, AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY, THE WHITE HOUSE. .

WASHINGTON, D.C

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-307659A1.pdf

Senators Hutchison and Rockefeller detail D-block plan

Thu, 2011-06-16 09:07 AM

By: Mark Rockwell

Sens. Rockfeller, Huchison

In another effort to move forward their plan for a national wireless broadband communications network for first responders, the leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee explained their complex strategy for the network, which includes several spectrum auctions and a government-run company that would operate like a commercial wireless carrier to manage the network. ...

White House Meeting on First Responder Net

Scheduled With Biden, Genachowski

Napolitano, Holder, O'Malley expected to attend as well

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/14/2011 3:31:41 PM

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D- W. Va.) praised the White House for scheduling a meeting this Thursday (June 16) to discuss the need to provide a nationwide interoperable broadband communications network for first responders.

The President has already come out in support of allocating D block spectrum to that network rather than auctioning it to private companies, as some Republicans and the FCC's National Broadband Plan proposed. ...

CITY OF MESA, ARIZONA, POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Granted the waiver request filed by the City of Mesa, Arizona, Police Department, with conditions. Action by: Deputy Chief, Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. Adopted: 06/14/2011 by ORDER. (DA No. 11-1053). PSHSB 

Mesa requests the licensing of six 700 MHz narrowband interoperability channels for a deployable trunked facility.It seeks a waiver of Section 90.531(b)(1)(iii) of the Commission's rules to exceed the maximum number of interoperability channels that may be trunked.  We grant Mesa's waiver request, subject to conditions, because doing so will not frustrate the Commission's intent in enacting Section 90.531(b)(1)(iii), and because it is in the public interest to do so...

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1053A1.pdf

LEIM 2011: Update on D-Block allocation and 700 MHz waiver requests
Police News
At LEIM 2011 in San Diego today, Harlin McEwen, Chair of the IACP Communications Technology Committee — as well as a friend and regular commentator on PoliceOne — addressed the issue of the nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network. ...

NTIA Offers Ideas on Public Safety Broadband Network

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) commends the Federal Communications Commission for conscientiously addressing our first responders‟ communications needs, and continuing to make these needs a priority. Proceeding from the shared vision of an efficient and effective nationwide interoperable public safety wireless broadband network and recognizing this rare opportunity to help realize that vision in the near future, the Administration, in these Comments, highlights important issues in the development of an overarching framework to achieve this common vision and suggests an appropriate course of action. ...

Rockefeller excited as legislation advances
Daily Mail - Charleston
Rockefeller has sponsored the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act, which would create a nationwide, interoperable, wireless broadband network for emergency workers and first responders. The bill cleared the Senate Commerce Committee, ...

Jim Newton: What we have is a failure to communicate
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System is supposed to link all ... By Jim Newton In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, public safety ...

Tech policy gurus outline priorities
Seattle Post Intelligencer

... Matthew Hussey, the top telecom aide to Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), explained why the lawmaker voted against the public safety bill Wednesday. He said she was concerned about having adequate funding of the first responders' network and, in particular, the ability for rural areas to create and maintain such a network.

Snowe wants to make sure that "rural areas will have adequate resources to build and maintain the network," Hussey said. "We were also concerned about taking additional steps to ensure interoperability."

Hussey added that Snowe wanted to make sure that rural areas didn't see a "digital divide" in terms of the abilities of public safety to be able to access and participate in a nationwide broadband communication network. ...

Senate Panel Backs Public-Safety Spectrum Bill
National Journal
... After nearly 10 years of stalled efforts on the issue, the Senate Commerce Committee approved legislation Wednesday designed to finally build a national public-safety broadband network to help first responders communicate during emergencies. It allocates so-called D-block to police and firefighters, contradicting current law, which would sell it off. ...

Committee approves D Block bill for Senate vote

Urgent Communications

The PSBC would replace the Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST) as the licensee for existing public safety's 700 MHz broadband spectrum, which would be ...

National Emergency Network Gets Closer To Reality
KHTS Radio
The Strengthening Public-Safety and Enhancing Communications Through Reform, Utilization and Modernization (SPECTRUM) Act will provide America's first responders with a nationwide interoperable communications network. Senator Barbara Boxer, a proponent ...

Public-safety amendment would require 700 MHz interoperability

June 7 2011 - 4:01 pm ET | Tracy Ford | RCR Wireless News

Ahead of tomorrow's expected markup of legislation to reallocate D-Block spectrum to public safety, lobbying and public-safety groups are turning up the volume on the proposed bill. The proposed legislation would reallocate D-block spectrum to first responders and allow the Federal Communications Commission to hold incentive auctions to raise funds to pay for a public-safety network, among other things.

  ...