Public Safety Could Suffer if DTV Transition Delayed, Groups Warn
APCO and other major pubic safety groups encouraged President-elect Barack Obama to ask Congress to provide an exception for public safety if it moves ahead with a delay of the Feb. 17 DTV transition deadline. Wireless carriers also are reminding Congress that the change would mean a delay in the companies being able to build out their systems using the 700 MHz spectrum they bought in last year’s auction.
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A public safety official said public safety groups don’t have specific recommendations since legislation hasn’t been introduced delaying the transition. The groups are concerned about TV channels 62, 63, 64, 67, 68 and 69, since public safety would get 700 MHz spectrum they now occupy.
APCO, the major police and fire chief associations and the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council told Obama the delay has public safety implications that must not be ignored. “An important benefit of the DTV transition is that it clears spectrum in the 700 MHz band for new interoperable radio communications systems for law enforcement, fire, emergency medical and other public safety agencies,” the letter said. “All fifty states have already received licenses to operate on portions of the new spectrum, and many agencies across the nation have already acquired radios capable of operating in the 700 MHz band.”
Meanwhile, high-technology companies and the wireless industry are also voicing concerns. The High Tech DTV Coalition was a key player behind 2005 legislation that established a deadline for the transition. Verizon Wireless and AT&T were the dominant bidders and have the most at stake. “We are concerned that a delay of the transition date could postpone investment in and deployment of broadband wireless services and decrease confidence in the auction model for spectrum allocation that has generated billions for the U.S. Treasury,” said CTIA President Steve Largent. “In the midst of the current economic struggle, these are important considerations.”
David Nace, counsel to the Rural Cellular Association, also expressed concerns. “Every company that has invested in licenses is concerned about delay in ability to make use of them,” he said. “Congress gave the FCC no flexibility to defer final payment for licenses until the DTV transition date and, as a result, large sums were expended for no benefit until the service can be deployed. If Congress pushes back the transition date there should be a financial concession to 700 MHz licensees who expended funds in reliance on the transition date in the current law.”