First, if it could happen, it would have happened by now. The problem is that it’s impossible for a private company to compete with free, and the current regulatory regime hands out free spectrum to public safety so that they have to build their own networks. We don’t think it’s weird that police departments buy their cars from Ford and GM. The system we have now for spectrum would be the equivalent of giving police departments steel and glass and rubber and asking them build their own cars or use subcontractors to build them.

Second, I don’t see one single thing I’ve said that demeans those passionate about public safety. That said, the idea that only those people who have ever entered a burning building have a right to be engaged in this conversation is ill-advised. We need as many people as we can thinking about this issue. Those who have been passionate about public safety have been thinking and working on the problem for 30+ years. Maybe it’s time to let in some ideas from other fields.

Cheers.

And as stated 1/2 of the 700 MHz spectrum that would be assigned to the PSST is assigned to public safety. The other half is the D block. Please do not demean those that are passionate about what is and has been needed for many years. Just curious, when was the last time that you entered a hazardous environment, a burning building or similar situation. When you live it, know it and understand it, then you will fully appreciate the position of public safety.

Thanks.

As you can see, they make a distinction between their public safety holding and the commercial D Block. I’ve also never said I wanted to give first responders a cell phone.

It seems you only want to play semantics and take down straw men rather than address the merits of my proposal. You’re also rude and you’re not helping the cause of public safety interoperability, even if you are an engineer. Please don’t bother posting here again.

Let me quote your piece. “Take the spectrum now held by the PSST and combine it with the D Block.”

The spectrum held by the PSST IS the D block! If you can’t even get the basics right, how can we discuss this?

Sorry if I’m blunt, but I hear a lot of absolute nonsense about this topic and “what ought to be done” from folks who don’t bother to understand the basics of what is going on.

As someone who works closely with public safety agencies, I can appreciate their problems, and what MIGHT be done. As an engineer, I think I can anticipate what actually CAN be done.

Giving every first responder a cell phone is NOT the great solution a lot of people think it is. Ever tried to do a one-to-many call on a cell phone? That’s a fundamental requirement of a dispatch system, and cell phones can’t do it… They might in the future, but then pigs might fly…

Yes, I am suggesting two commercial systems (putting the spectrum in the hands of public safety has not previously gotten us anywhere - this is the ‘radical’ part), but I hope you’ll re-read what I wrote and notice that I do account for how to make these commercial companies accountable. First there wold be a public safety obligation with specific performance standards, and second there will be the constraints of the market (i.e. they will want to keep their public safety customers happy and subscribed–especially if there are competing networks). I hope you can give me the benefit of the doubt and engage me on the merits.

Half of the spectrum to be used for this new system was taken from the 24 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum specifically assigned to public safety. If you remove the PSST, you will have just another commercial system with NO responsibility to serve or meet the requirements of the public safety community. And you will have crippled the future development of any public safety broadband system by giving the spectrum specifically designated for that purpose to a commercial service.

Do your homework!