http://www.telecomweb.com/tnd/22579.html
700 MHz hopeful Frontline Wireless LLC got some help from the Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) in its quest for recognition of its broadband public-safety plan at the Federal Communications Commission. In a letter to FCC Secretary Marlene H. Dortch, UTC President/CEO William R. Moroney asked that Frontline's proposed service rules and related materials related to WT Docket Nos. 06-150 and 06-169 along with PS Docket No. 06-229 be put on public notice to give the industry and the general public an opportunity to comment.
Frontline, whose plan would provide a privately funded, national 4G public-safety network for interoperability (TelecomWeb news break, March 28) had urged the commission to seek public comment on its suggestions. It believes its market-based approach would meet the commission's goals and congressional goals for providing adequate spectrum resources to meet first responders' mission-critical communications requirements.
Frontline says its proposed service rules build on previous filings made at the FCC, and company officials say they craft a policy road map for meeting key public-policy objectives, including:
>>Providing for an early and extensive broadband wireless network buildout costing public-safety agencies or taxpayers nothing;
>>Improving the status quo for first responders by providing additional spectrum during emergencies;
>>Deploying a 4G network, with open access for wireless devices and services, to provide public-safety entities national interoperability and local control via virtual private networks; and
>>Addressing a diverse range of key constituencies, including the roaming requirements of small and rural wireless carriers and the needs of healthcare providers for broadband coverage in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
"UTC believes that aspects of the Frontline proposal could prove to be of benefit to public safety and other segments of the emergency and disaster response community. However, there has been no opportunity for potential 700 MHz bidders, public-safety entities and other stakeholders to provide their input to the Commission, as was offered for other broadband proposals," Moroney wrote. "With time before the mandated 700 MHz auction passing quickly, UTC recommends that a public notice on this issue be released expeditiously."
He continued, "As the long-time representative of utility and other critical infrastructure telecommunications interests, UTC has an interest in the above-referenced dockets. Many of UTC's members are municipal electric and gas utilities and water authorities, themselves public-safety eligibles under the FCC's rules. Moreover, utilities are among the larger emergency response community, with thousands of personnel responding to local or regional disasters on a regular basis to restore vital public services to stricken communities. Utility personnel must have effective communications interoperability and coordination, both among themselves and between their emergency response leadership and public-safety agencies. The national issue of effective interoperability that the FCC now seeks to address is of deep concern to UTC and its members."
Moroney reiterated his group doesn't want any spectrum that already belongs to the public-safety community. However, he believes Frontline's proposal "offers opportunities for partnership among the proposed E Block licensee, public safety agencies and critical infrastructure entities such as utilities that could result in a stronger and more effective network...Given the documented history of robust utility wireless networks, such access - if coupled with utility input to construction standards - could mean a network designed to withstand long-term power outages."
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