Public Safety Mobilizes in Support of D-Block

APCO President Greg Riddle issued an urgent, early morning call to action for APCO members to contact their represenatives and senators, asking them to oppose give-backs of 700 MHz Narrowband spectrum and support D-Block allocation with sufficient funding in two bills that are currently on the two respective floors. 

The Public Safety Alliance (PSA) issued the same call to action, urging Public Safety advocates and personnel to reach out to their friends, family, and colleagues as well. 

A payroll-tax bill, H.R. 3630 was introduced last Friday on the House floor including language that would reallocate the 700 MHz D-Block.  The bill also included $5-$6.5 billion in funding for the deployment of the first nationwide dedicated Public Safety LTE network.

This same bill unfortunately also calls for Public Safety to give back its 700 MHz narrowbnand spectrum to the FCC within coming years, and has a questionable governance model according to many Public Safety spokespeople.  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) wrote a letter to House Commerce Committee and Senate Commerce Committee leadership in support of the governance model in S. 911, sponsored by Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas).  The bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee last week with a 17-6 vote.

According to a Dec. 8th PSA press release, this legislation marks the completion of one of the last unmet recommendations of the 9/11 Commission from more than 10 years ago.  It is possible that D-block legislation could become a standalone bill in the House, but most expect the language to be inserted into an appropriations or payroll tax bill. 

Although the outcome is uncertain, now is the time for the Public Safety community to make a push on their legislators to support them by fulfilling this recommendation, ten years in the making.

House Communications Subcommittee Approves D-Block Bill

Last Thursday members of the House Communications Subcommittee approved a bill that would reallocate the 10 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum known as the D-block to Public Safety and provide at least $5 billion ($6.5 billion estimated in text) in funding for a nationwide LTE first responder network.

Public Safety Alliance spokesman Chris Moore released a statement praising Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and the committee for their work to inspire bi-partisan support for the bill and striking a balance "between the needs of commercial wireless, public safety, broadcast and other interests, and in very difficult economic times."

In December of 2009, when the public safety community met in New York City to strategize efforts to pass this comprehensive legislation, many had doubts of its possibility.  Despite the challenges of achieving this lofty goal, lawmakers, Public Safety advocates, the FCC, and the Obama administration have been moving towards it, slow and steady. 

Since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Public Safety community has been struggling to improve interoperability and secure better operational capabilities for first responders.  Access to a contiguous 20 MHz of spectrum is a leap forward for these efforts to come to fruition.  Negotiations will continue among committee members, staff, and stakeholders as the JOBS bill is marked-up in the full committee this week. 

Moore is chief of police for the San Jose, CA Police Department.  He went on to comment, "On behalf of more than 2 million first responders nationwide, the Public Safety Alliance greatly appreciates and applauds their tireless efforts, countless hours of study, analysis, negotiation and results."

New Obama Job Bill Includes D-Block

President Obama's recent speech to a joint session of Congress outlined a draft version of a jobs bill that includes reallocation of the 700 MHz D-block and provides $7 billion of nationwide LTE network funding ($3 billion less than the S.911 Senate bill) for Public Safety.

According a report released by the Telecommunications Industry Association, the nationwide LTE network buildout would create more than 100,000 new jobs.  With House Republicans focused on balancing the budget, reducing deficit, and creating jobs, it is important that this bill is beneficial to the economy as well as Public Safety. 

The Obama administration voiced support for D-block reallocation and funding previously, although S.911 (the D-block Senate bill).  Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) has been an outspoken advocate for auctioning the D-block to commercial operators will reportedly introduce his legislative proposal within weeks.  Although Walden's proposal would prevent D-block allocation to Public Safety, many believe the introduction of such a debate will inspire a more productive debate. 

Read more at Urgent Communications.

Andrew Seybold on Public Safety Broadband: Real-World Testing Results

This was re-posted with permission from Andrew Seybold.
Originally posted 9/18/11 on andrewseybold.com.

This past spring we were contracted by San Francisco Bay Area UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative) to conduct real-world testing of the first Public Safety broadband network in the Bay Area. This network, known as the Cornerstone project, is the precursor to the East Bay Regional LTE network currently being deployed.

The East Bay Region is one of 21 jurisdictions that received waivers from the FCC to operate a broadband network on the 10 MHz of 700-MHz spectrum already allocated to Public Safety. The license is currently held by the Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST) and the waiver recipients not only have a waiver from the FCC to build and operate their portion of the nationwide network, they have all entered into lease agreements with the PSST for use of the spectrum.

The East Bay organization entered into an agreement with Motorola to provide the system and it received a $50 million grant from the broadband stimulus funds (BETOP grant) to build out the network. A previous grant funded the first part of the network known as the Cornerstone project and this was the network we tested. The report goes into detail about the network, test procedures, actual tests, and results. We have also included more details on all phases of the testing in seven appendices.

The tests were based on real-world incidents that are typical in both metro and suburban areas on a daily basis. The number of first responder personnel assigned to each incident and their functions at the incident and in the command center have been vetted by many within the Public Safety community and, in reality, the number of first responders assigned to the incident for our tests represents a conservative set of personnel on the scene.

It should also be pointed out that these tests were made under ideal conditions. There was no other network traffic, each test was conducted at the center of a single cell sector, multiple times, and the mobile devices were mounted in vehicles using roof and trunk-mounted outside antennas. The backhaul between the cell sector and the network was 30 Mbps and cannot be considered as a choke point in the network. Further, the testing server was physically located at the network center or core so there were no additional data links that could have skewed the results.

A paragraph taken from the conclusions section of the report sums up our findings.

“Based on these real-world tests, we strongly recommend that public safety be provided with at least 20 MHz of contiguous spectrum (10 MHz by 10 MHz). The only way to accomplish this is to reallocate the 700-MHz D Block to public safety and this should be done prior to the build-out of the waiver recipients’ portion of the nationwide network. The cost to build out 10 MHz of spectrum and 20 MHz of spectrum is identical at the time of construction. Later, the addition of this spectrum would add to the cost of the network and require device redesign, adding to the cost of the user equipment. The entire premise of providing public safety with broadband spectrum using a commercial technology is to provide public safety personnel with capabilities they do not have presently at a lower cost than its existing voice communications equipment.”

The full report, as it was submitted to the FCC, is attached to this column in PDF format and will also be posted on our website for future reference. We believe our testing methodology is solid and that the tests, which were repeated multiple times for each incident, were conclusive. In addition to our own findings, Anritsu America was taking off-the-air measurements with its test equipment to verify the total traffic being sent over the network. We thank Anritsu for its support and assistance. I would also like to thank Motorola, the provider of the network, for its cooperation in working with us on this project. Finally, a big thanks to Panasonic, which provided us with seven identical Toughbooks running Windows XP. These units are identical to thousands of Toughbooks that are installed in police, fire, and EMS vehicles around the United States.

The bottom line: Public Safety needs the D Block and the funding to build out the nationwide Public Safety network. If the D Block is not reallocated, Public Safety will end up with a network that will not provide the types of information and videos it wants and needs on a daily basis for incidents that occur multiple times a day in both major metro areas and their surrounding suburbs. Senate bill S.911 provides both the spectrum and the funding that is needed by the Public Safety community. This bill passed through committee with a strong 21-4 bipartisan vote and it needs to be introduced on the floor of the Senate as soon as possible. This will put pressure on the House of Representatives to pass a similar bill and send it to the President for his signature.

Ten years after 9/11, there is no excuse for not providing the Public Safety community with the tools it needs to better serve all of us. This becomes even more important when the Public Safety community has seen layoffs at a local level because of a lack of funding. Doing more with less takes the right tools, and in this case the right tool is a robust Public Safety-only broadband network that has 20 MHz of spectrum available.

Andrew M. Seybold

LTE Used for Video Backhaul Over D-Block Waves

The federal park police utilized Alcatel-Lucent's LTE system operating on 700 MHz D-Block spectrum during the Washington, D.C. July 4 celebration this year on the National Mall.  Their video-surveillance system is the first to operate on these waves, which the FCC currently has reserved for commercial auction. 

The video backhaul system they have in place allows fixed surveillance equipment in the area  to send high-definition video and thermal-imaging feeds to officials in a remote location.  Their video-based technology, which included analytic capability, requires robust bandwidth.

Using 700 MHz frequencies allowed the base station to receive signal despite being out of the line of sight, something that would be impossible over a cellular connection because of the caliber of the cameras used.  The FCC granted temporary authority for the federal park police to operate on the D-block spectrum for the event. 

The technology services commander for the U.S. Park Police attributes the success of the network to having dedicated spectrum that did not have to be shared with commercial users. 

D-Block Companion Bill Generates Public Safety Forecasts

Just in time for a committee hearing scheduled for this Friday,  Reps. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Gene Green (D-Texas) introduced H.R. 2482 to the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill to support the D-Block legislation (S. 911).

S. 911 recently passed the Senate Commerce Committee with a 21-4 vote, which gives public safety advocates hope that first responders will get the 700 MHz network they have been working towards.  A spokesperson for the Public Safety Alliance says the next step is to get it through the hearing and to gain support from the House Energy and Commerce Commitee. 

President Obama and the executive branch have expressed support for the bill, but this could hinder its progress just as much as it helps.  The high-profile support has turned the bill into a "political football" in a currently divided government, with Democrats and Republicans using whatever tools they can to stay ahead of one another.  This common problem of politics being brought into Public Safety has slowed and even halted many projects in the past.  Now more than ever, the effort must be a bipartisan one, and focus must stay on lawmakers' responsibility to do what is best for first responders, and in turn all of us. 

Some analysts are getting nervous about the ticking clock; the goal was to have D-Block legislation on the President's desk by the tenth anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 attacks.  Some hypothesize that if it is not signed by then, it might be forgotten and not signed at all. 

A writer from Urgent Communications, is more optimistic, saying the decision will ultimately come to a matter of money; can Congress find $11 million to build a Public Safety network?  And even if they do, who will foot the bill if (and when) the nationwide network ends up costing more than anyone currently thinks?

We want to hear your thoughts.  Comment in the box below or email kmilfort@emrconsults.com to tell us your opinion.

D-block: Momentum Builds as Commerce Committee Passes S.911

News pieces this week point to imminent reallocation of the D-block of 700 MHz spectrum.  This is big news for those who have been working towards legislation for Public Safety spectrum in recent months and years.  It took only one day for the Senate Commerce Committee to finish its markup and pass the D-block bill (known as the S. 911, the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act, or just Spectrum Act) yesterday. 

The first-responder community had qualms about language in one version of the bill requiring agencies to give up existing narrowband spectrum in auctions to help fund the new Public Safety LTE networks.  Most are wary of the proposal, but not entirely opposed to it, provided their narrow-band efficiency is not lost with the transfer to newer technologies.  APCO's position on giving back spectrum is that Public Safety will need 30 MHz of broadband spectrum, so the spectrum in question should be migrated to broadband, not given back. 

Amendments to the bill, suggested by Sens. John McCain and Joseph Lieberman, would change the language to requiring the FCC to review whether migrating Public Safety from below 512 MHz makes sense technologically and economically.  Sean Kirkendall, spokesperson for APCO, says this is much more acceptable than giving back the spectrum. 

According to the TV News Check article, the Spectrum Act includes the following key points:

• Setting the groundwork for a nationwide, interoperable, wireless broadband Public Safety network
• Allocating the 10 MHz of D-block 700 MHz spectrum to Public Safety
• Directing the FCC to set a standard of efficiency that will allow Public Safety networks to be loaned out to non-Public Safety during times of non-use
• Allowing incentive auctions, providing licensees the ability to relinquish currently unused spectrum, and allowing auction funds to pay for construction and maintenance of the new Public Safety network
• Directing the National Science Foundation and National Institute of Standards and Technology to conduct critical research on ground-breaking technologies

The passing of this bill is a significant stride, but the bill still has the obstacle of passing the whole Senate, and some say it will meet more opposition in the House.

Ranking member of the Committee, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has high hopes for the legislation, saying, "The Commerce Committee has come together to move forward the most significant piece of telecommunications legislation in a decade. It is imperative our communications infrastructure be ready to handle the growth and innovations of the future. We have a bipartisan agreement that will build, without taxpayer funds, a 21st century public safety network that gives first responders the tools to do their jobs. Our bill will spur job creation, generate hundreds of billions in economic activity, and drive research and development while bringing down the national deficit. This is a commonsense approach to a national priority, and I hope the Senate will pass S. 911 without delay."

D-Block: Questions Linger Despite Bipartisan Support

The push for Congress to reallocate the D-block of 700 MHz spectrum to public safety continues, and a conference held earlier this week by the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police explored some questions on the most recent bill introduced by Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.).   Also in attendance was Charles Dowd, deputy chief of the New York City Police Department and head of their immense communictions system. 

According to King, the new bill is getting great support from both the Democratic and Republican sides of the room, much like the first D-block bill did. Last year's bill had about 80 co-sponsors.  There is no guarantee the bill will pass, but strong bipartisan support is a positive sign.  Among the champions of the bill is Rep. Benny Thompson (D-Miss.), the ranking member and former chairman of the homeland security committee who, despite having fundamental differences with King regarding defense, supports the bill vigorously.

King also said a similar bill will be introduced into the Senate soon by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.).  This bill is side by side with one reintroduced in January by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), which is only slightly different.  Hearings are to be held today on both bills.

Other strong signs for this cause are President Obama's official declaration of support, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's commitment to working with Congress to put the allocation into legislation.  These combined efforts are already a significant stride forward, considering the issue was not even being discussed in Congress one year ago.  Today the biggest names in Washington are backing D-block allocation, calling it vital to our country's safety and progress.

H.R. 607 addresses three necessities of nationwide wireless broadband network for first responders.  Spectrum, funding, and governance are all important pieces of the puzzle.  The need for more public safety spectrum stems back from the 9/11 Commission Report, which made the recommendation to Congress eight years ago.  Passing the bill is only half the fight, since funding will be necessary to make the transition.  H.R. 607 includes verbiage providing grants programs with construction and operations-and-maintenance funding.  "Yet, we still don't have ufficient allocated spectrum or a national [interoperable] public safety wireless broadband network.  We have to make progress; we have to move forward," King said.

The biggest challenge now is ensuring the bill is comprehensive enough to suit public safety agencies across the board. "No agency gets left behind. We've said that from the start of this. If this doesn't work for the urban and rural and the big and small, then it doesn't work [at all]. We're not leaving anybody behind on this effort," said Dowd.

Read more here in Urgent Communications.

D-Block: Phoenix Center Study Shows Benefits

The Phoenix Center, a think tank that includes former FCC staff and leading telecommunications academics, released the findings of their study on assigning the D-Block to Public Safety.  According to the Public Safety Alliance press release, the report shows that the allocation would produce $3.4 billion more in social benefit than putting it up for commercial auction.  This is a great tipper in the debate over the D-Block question, because it will significantly contribute to deficit reduction.  Most of the value comes from the opportunity to create an exclusive 20 MHz block of spectrum for use by Public Safety.  The analysis finds that frequencies are more valuable in the hands of Public Safety agencies than commercial radio, to a great extent.  The reduced cost of deploying a robust network makes D-Block allocation "economically rational," according to the release.

The study is a great follow-up to an extensive analysis of the possible regulation conducted by the Obama Administration, which alsoc oncluded that Congress should allocate the spectrum block to Public Safety.  The legislation, S. 28; The Public Safety Wireless and Innovation Act of 2011, has already been introduced by Senator John "Jay" Rockefeller, IV, Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.  A similar proposal, H.R. 607; Broadband for First Responders, has been brought to the House by Congressman Peter King, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

See the text of the report here.

D-Block: Commentary from Vice President Biden

released Friday, February 11, 2011 on McClatchy
Commentary: Building a safer America

by Vice President of the United States Joe Biden

During his trip to Michigan on Thursday, the president announced the Wireless Innovation and Infrastructure Initiative. It will, for the first time, allow first responders to build a reliable communication network that takes advantage of the same technology that my grandkids use on their smartphones, while making high-speed wireless services available to millions of Americans in rural areas.

Here's how it will work: We will dedicate a part of the airwaves (called "spectrum"), which are what smartphones and other high-speed mobile devices use to communicate, to public safety for a high-speed wireless network that will reach across the country. When we auction licenses to use the airwaves, we will dedicate a part of that income to help public safety build this network.

Another part of those auction proceeds will go for research and development that will benefit everyone who uses wireless technology - so that this country will not only have the fastest networks but also the best wireless technologies for public safety, education, health care, transportation and energy.

A nationwide high-speed wireless public safety network like this is long overdue.

This year is the 10th anniversary of one of the greatest tragedies that our nation has ever endured. We lost nearly 3,000 lives on Sept. 11, 2001. Among them were more than 400 firefighters and police officers who bravely ran into burning and collapsing buildings, sacrificing their own lives to save the lives of others.

The systems those brave men and women relied on to communicate with one another were simply not as advanced as they should have been. There have been improvements since, but emergency medical technicians, firefighters, police and other first responders still need a better wireless communications system - a network that allows them to communicate reliably when they need it most, and works seamlessly with neighboring cities and counties when they are called to assist if tragedy strikes.

This initiative will give them a reliable network. First responders need to communicate even when no one else can - their calls can't be dropped if they are in a basement or parking garage and they have to be able to get through in emergencies. They need to know that, as much as we're relying on them, they can rely on their communications systems.

Instead of the old radios they use now, first responders will communicate with devices that will also let them transmit video, images and data. Firefighters will be able to download building schematics onto their devices to find the best routes to safety. A police officer will be able to quickly determine if the car in the traffic stop is stolen or if the driver has an outstanding warrant. EMTs will be able to transmit pictures from an accident scene ahead to doctors in the emergency room. Lives will, quite simply, be saved.

This is an unprecedented investment in the brave men and women who put themselves in danger so the rest of us can be safe. Giving them the tools they need to do their jobs successfully is simply the least we can do for them, for our communities, and for an entire nation that depends on them so immensely.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/02/11/108451/building-a-safer-america.html#ixzz1EFNh7GFH

D-Block: Gaining Federal Support

The fight for legislation allocating the D-block of 700 MHz wireless broadband spectrum to public safety has been a long road for lobbyists and supporters. Recently Administrative and Congressional attention has been turned in that direction. The 9/11 Commission began an initiative more than seven years ago based on the added safety and efficiency this allocation would provide. In a recent speech at Northern Michigan University, in Marquette, Mich., President Barack Obama officially pledge his support. Representatives Peter King of New York and Bennie Thompson of Mississippi also got behind the cause by reintroducing a bill (First Responder's Act of 2011, H.R. 607) to designate the D-Block to public safety agencies.

The unacceptable capability of commercial networks used for public safety are a safety liability. Agencies currently use networks that are simply not sufficient in uptime, availability, and redundancy. With current daily usage, the networks hold up. However, in the event of a major catastrophe masses of panicked people will use the carrier network to reach loved ones, causing the systems to fail. This puts police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel at significant risk during large-scale emergencies.

The networks are also inefficient in their current state. Public safety needs a full 20 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum to maintain a strong nationwide broadband network to suit their data, video, and, in the future, voice communications. The current 10 MHz already occupied by public safety is already adjacent to the D-Block. Extending the allocation would remedy a number of technical issues (including interference), and the cost and complexity of building the network would be reduced.

See the full text of H.R. 607 here.