Interest in aerial fiber backhaul is rising as wireless carriers look to reduce costs of upgrading networks for 3G and 4G broadband, but some fear stringing fiber from poles may leave cellphone networks more susceptible to outages. Aerial fiber is cheaper to install than buried plant but is more vulnerable to ice storms, hurricanes and other forces of nature, said industry officials. However, some said aerial fiber outages can be dealt with quickly if companies are prepared.

The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) said Monday a letter that the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) sent last week (CD Nov 19 p11) reflects the council’s change of position to support reallocation of the 700 MHz D Block to public safety. “NPSTC shares NENA’s concern that adequate funding be obtained for the deployment and operation of the nationwide wireless broadband network,” the council said. “NPSTC will continue working with NENA and other organizations, including the Public Safety Spectrum Trust, to examine funding options.”

The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) said Monday a letter that the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) sent last week (CD Nov 19 p11) reflects the council’s change of position to support reallocation of the 700 MHz D Block to public safety. “NPSTC shares NENA’s concern that adequate funding be obtained for the deployment and operation of the nationwide wireless broadband network,” the council said. “NPSTC will continue working with NENA and other organizations, including the Public Safety Spectrum Trust, to examine funding options.”

The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and AT&T continue to support a proposal they filed last year, along with Verizon Wireless and the Association of Public- Safety Communications Officials (APCO), for revised E-911 location accuracy rules, they said in new comments at the FCC. “We are interested in hearing from those carriers who did not support the proposal last year to determine if the same concerns remain a year later,” NENA said. “We also look forward to hearing from other parties to determine if any technological advancements have been made that might augment the ability to comply with our earlier proposals.” AT&T said it remains “firmly committed to improving wireless E911 location accuracy” rules. “APCO, NENA, and AT&T propose the adoption of aggressive accuracy standards and county level compliance benchmarks that will spur development and deployment of the technological advances necessary to improve location accuracy,” the telco said.

Just reallocating the 700 MHz D-block to public safety agencies will not satisfy demands for a fully-funded national public safety network, the National Emergency Number Association said in a letter released Wednesday. NENA and other public safety groups met at New York City police headquarters last week, to discuss their disagreement over the future of the D-block, but without reaching an agreement. “Our colleagues in public safety have asked us to support a reallocation to public safety of the 700 MHz D Block,” said the letter to eight other public safety organizations signed by NENA’s leaders. “Many public safety organizations believe this to be the best option to achieve a public safety nationwide wireless broadband network. Legislation to this effect has been proposed. However, while the current draft legislation addresses public safety spectrum needs, it does not explicitly consider long-term, recurring funding needs.”

A late push by broadcasters to insert FM chipsets into cellphones (CD Nov 13 p11) threatens to derail efforts to develop an emergency alert system for wireless, CTIA warned the FCC in comments on the National Broadband Plan notice on public safety issues. CTIA said the Commercial Mobile Service Alerts Advisory Committee already considered and rejected using FM chipsets for emergency alerts. Public safety groups, meanwhile, offered some additional advice on how first responders may use a national wireless network if one is eventually put in place.

Serving people with disabilities must be a high priority of U.S. broadband policy, said FCC Commissioners Michael Copps, Mignon Clyburn and Robert McDowell, during a commission field hearing at Gallaudet University, a school in D.C. for people with impaired hearing. “It’s not just something nice for us to do,” said Copps, who hosted the event. “It’s their right. … Access denied is opportunity denied.” Marlee Matlin, an actress who has won an Academy Award and is deaf, called for closed captioning in video media streaming online. The hearing followed an FCC order late Thursday clearing up outstanding technical issues related to the Nov. 12 transition of Internet-based telecom relay services to 10-digit phone numbers.

Two leaders of the House Homeland Security Committee asked the FCC to grant waivers sought by various cities and local governments so they can make early use of 700 MHz D-block spectrum. As expected, the waiver requests got widespread support from various public safety and industry groups. Others, including the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), urged the FCC to act with care, so as to not create problems later on as a national public safety wireless broadband network is put in place.

A public-private partnership remains a good solution for creating a nationwide, interoperable public safety network, said House Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D- Calif., at a Communications Subcommittee hearing Thursday. Several groups offered proposals for solving the longstanding lack of a nationwide public safety network, as well as ways to pick up the pieces after the failed auction of spectrum set aside for such a network in the 700 MHz auction last year. But no consensus emerged among lawmakers or witnesses. Lawmakers did agree a solution is imperative either through legislation or FCC action.

Twelve of the 13 associations taking part in a National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) Governing Board meeting Tuesday opposed reallocating the 700 MHz D- block to commercial use, as proposed by the National Emergency Number Association. Only NENA dissented. “NPSTC does not support the proposal to reallocate the 10 MHz of public safety 700 MHz broadband block to commercial use, as it would give back scarce public safety spectrum,” the group said. “Doing so would also undermine progress made during recent meetings among numerous major public safety organizations to further address matters related to the development of a nationwide interoperable broadband network.” The group said NENA should “abandon the promotion of its proposal to remove current spectrum from public safety and instead … support current efforts by the majority of the national public safety organizations that would increase spectrum for public safety.” NENA CEO Brian Fontes told us the vote played out as expected. “They are opposed to two of the elements in the NENA proposal,” he said. “They oppose the notion that we still believe that an auction is a viable approach, and they oppose the fact that we would consider exchanging 10 MHz of public safety spectrum for something of equal or greater value, meaning access to a 20 MHz broadband network. It’s just an example of reasonable minds differ[ing].”