Thursday, May 24, 2012

Remember to Feed the Elephants - David Kahn

Elephant #4 - Public Safety needs an applications interoperability platform: Public-safety communications professionals are excited about the federal legislation enacted in February — and with good reason. The new law grants the 700 MHz spectrum known as the D Block to public safety and provides $7 billion in initial funding for a nationwide broadband voice and data communications network.

Earlier this year I attended NIST’s 700 MHz Public Safety Broadband Demonstration Stakeholders Meeting, where very smart people presented their visions for the national LTE/4G network. However there seemed to be a few elephants in the room that largely were ignored, as follows.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

BTOP Grants for Public Safety Slowed

Strickling Defends Stand-Down of Public Safety Net Projects: National Telecommunications Information Administration chief Larry Strickling found himself defending the agency's decision last week to put a partial hold on seven broadband public safety network projects, including ones funded through broadband grants.

At a House Communications Subcommittee Hearing on NTIA's and the Rural Utilities Service broadband grants under the Farm Bill and Recovery Act, Strickling was hit with questions from Republican legislators from states -- Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas -- whose projects had gotten the word to stand down, at least until NTIA vets them against plans for a national interoperable broadband public safety network, now being dubbed FirstNet, which NTIA is helping oversee.

Saturday, May 05, 2012

Emergency services getting a static-free slice of broadband

Canadian emergency services getting a static-free slice of broadband: Police officers, firefighters and paramedics across [Canada] soon will be able to communicate with each other using a broadband network dedicated to emergency services.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews announced Thursday the allocation of 10 MHz of the highly coveted 700 MHz broadband spectrum for use by emergency service providers.