S 911 Action

1. Courtesy of Paul Kirby and TR Daily – PLEASE NOTE DATE OF HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING – JULY 15 AT 0830

HOUSE SPECTRUM, PUBLIC SAFETY HEARING SET

The House communications and technology subcommittee has scheduled a legislative hearing on spectrum and public safety issues for July 15 at 8:30 a.m. The hearing will be held in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

The panel “will discuss legislation to advance wireless broadband, promote deployment of an interoperable broadband public safety network, create jobs, and reduce the deficit,” the Energy and Commerce Committee said today. Witnesses are to be announced.

Lawmakers are expected to consider a draft bipartisan bill that would require the 700 megahertz band D block to be reauctioned and would authorize the FCC to hold incentive auctions, according to sources.

However, some senior Democrats on the panel are hoping to introduce a companion bill to S 911, which would reallocate the D block to public safety, a public safety source said. Democrats are finding Republican cosponsors for their bill but not on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the source said.

Meanwhile, the National Governors Association sent a letter to House and Senate leaders today urging passage of S 911. “Despite the nation’s troubling economic conditions, our law enforcement, firefighters and emergency medical personnel must continue to save lives and protect us from harm. S. 911 recognizes the imperative of providing public safety with the capabilities they require while balancing important financial considerations,” said the letter, which was signed by Arizona Gov. Janice K. Brewer (R.) and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D.), co-chairs of the NGA’s Special Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety. “Not only does the legislation reallocate the D block to provide sufficient contiguous spectrum, but it pays for this reallocation while also providing funding to develop the network and reduce the deficit by billions of dollars.” - Paul Kirby, paul.kirby@wolterskluwer.com

2. The National Governor’s Association has written the attached letter to the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives urging support for public safety broadband.

NGA D-Block Letter

3. In the news:

Why partner with critical infrastructure on 700 MHz broadband. http://urgentcomm.com/networks_and_systems/commentary/700mhz-partnering-dividends-20110707/?cid=nl_uctoday&YM_MID=%60mmid%60&YM_RID=%60email%60

WiFi will eventually be replaced with WiGig which works in the 60 GHz band. http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/29/wigig-hits-version-1-1-adds-wireless-hdmi-to-its-arsenal-to-cel/

NTIA assessment of testing results overseen by the National Executive Committee for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (EXCOM). http://www.ntia.doc.gov/filings/2011/NTIA_FCCletter_LightSquared_GPS_07062011.pdf

The FCC LightSquared proceeding number is: 11-109. For those trying to find information on the new FCC site here is the link to the proceeding comment page.
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/comment_search/execute?proceeding=11-109&applicant=&lawfirm=&author=&disseminated.minDate=&disseminated.maxDate=&recieved.minDate=7%2F7%2F10&recieved.maxDate=&address.city=&address.state.stateCd=&address.zip=&daNumber=&fileNumber=&submissionTypeId=&__checkbox_exParte=true