Public Safety Groups Raise Red Flags on Proposed TV Spectrum Reallocation
Two major public safety groups, APCO and the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council, said the FCC should take public safety’s interest in the TV broadcast band into account as the commission examines where to find more spectrum for wireless broadband. Both groups filed on National Broadband Plan Public Notice No. 26, examining spectrum issues.
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Both groups said part of TV channels 14-20 (470-512 MHz) are allocated for use by public safety and other private land mobile radio (LMR) communications services in 11 of the largest metropolitan areas: New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Miami, Pittsburgh, Dallas and Houston. The FCC granted waivers allowing additional public safety use of specific 470-512 MHz frequencies or, in some cases, the entire TV channel, the groups said.
The band “has become a principal source of radio spectrum for interoperable public safety communications systems,” APCO said. “Some of the nation’s largest public safety agencies, such as the New York City Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, use the band for virtually all of their mobile and portable radio communications. Therefore, any potential reallocation of ’television broadcasting spectrum’ needs to protect the essential public safety operations in the 470-512 MHz band.”
Public safety needs access to more TV spectrum, not less, APCO said. Major city agencies “face severe spectrum congestion and could benefit greatly from additional capacity for their public safety operations,” the group said. “In many cases the 700 MHz band -- cleared as a result of the DTV transition -- is insufficient to meet those requirements.” APCO said in a footnote, “There are not enough narrowband channels in 700 MHz to meet the demand in many major metropolitan areas.”
NPSTC said there are more than 2,800 public safety licenses in the 470-512 MHz band. New York and New Jersey have the most, 678, followed by Los Angeles with 651 and Boston with 503, according to a table in NPSTC’s filing.
NPSTC, too, said public safety’s needs are growing. “Should the Commission decide to take further steps to repurpose the broadcast spectrum, NPSTC urges the Commission to consider further expansion of public safety, public service and enterprise use of the 470-512 MHz spectrum beyond those modifications recommended in the NPSTC petition for rulemaking,” it said. “The public can benefit as much or more from improved public safety communications as they will from additional commercial spectrum to add to the 500 MHz or so of commercial licensed spectrum already allocated.”
NENA didn’t file in response to the public notice. CEO Brian Fontes agreed that reallocating broadcast spectrum does create concerns for public safety agencies. “Whenever it comes to spectrum decisions, and the need for spectrum by commercial entities, public safety should always be factored into the equation,” he said in an interview Tuesday.
The Land Mobile Communications Council pointed to concerns of other government agencies, utilities and businesses that also use the 470-512 MHz band in the 11 metropolitan areas. “Beyond being essential for mission critical police, fire and EMS voice and data communications, these LMR operations enable important services to citizens, enhance economic growth, and provide greater safety and efficiency for the licensees’ mobile workers.”
Filings were due on the public notice Monday. But the FCC issued a notice Tuesday after the fact delaying the filing deadline on that and other dockets 24 hours because of a storm that closed the commission’s offices Monday.