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A few months ago, Steve Zipperstein (pictured) of Verizon Wireless spoke in Washington DC on canceling the proposed auction for the D-block and combining it with the adjacent 10 MHz already licensed to the Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST). The presentation called for allocating the D-Block to First Responders to facilitate the deployment of an interoperable network. Verizon also offered up its backhaul and back-end systems to support a public safety network using the spectrum. Prior to the Verizon speech, AT&T Wireless had already been floating the same idea.
In May, a group of eight public safety organizations got together and endorsed a similar plan. More recently APCO and NENA issued a joint release citing LTE as their recommended technology choice for D-block networks.
Andrew Seybold wrote in a recent article that “for the first time, the public safety community could have the upper hand.” Clearly getting to this position was the result of hard work and consensus by numerous agencies and organizations. Andy’s piece offers an in-depth analysis of where things stand today and how we got here.
Read the Seybold article here>>
Admiral Jamie Barnett (ret.) has been chosen to lead the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB). "I am delighted that Admiral Barnett, with his broad and deep experience with public safety issues and familiarity with the concerns of state and local governments, will be joining the agency," said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.
Admiral Barnett’s 32 year military career included the roles of Deputy Commander of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command and Director of Naval Education and Training at the Pentagon.
In his civilian life, Mr. Barnett advised and represented government officials as an attorney in state and federal courts over an eighteen year career of private practice. Clients included cities, counties, school districts, law enforcement agencies and development authorities.
Along with the Barnett announcement, Genachowki also named David Furth and Jennifer Manner as Deputy Chiefs of the PSHSB.
Read more at Radio Resource Group's Website.
In the July 8 “Analysis & Insights into the Broadband NOFAs & Rules” Webinar, communications attorney Stephen Coran joined Spectrum Bridge as a guest speaker. He provided analysis and insight into the Broadband Stimulus NOFA, application rules and grant criteria. Spectrum expert Peter Stanforth delivered additional access and backhaul spectrum strategies for strengthening your project’s “shovel-ready” position.
Request a recorded version or PDF copy now by clicking here.
ShowMyWhiteSpace.com continues to receive steady traffic. The web site provides tools and resources that make TV white space easy for everyone to find and understand. TV white space channels are the unused and unassigned TV channels left over after the digital TV transition on June 12th 2009. The FCC will allow these unused TV channels to be used by part 15 (unlicensed) wireless devices, like cordless phones, WiFi like access points, etc. However, the number and frequencies of these channels vary substantially by location.
A few days before the digital TV transition on June 12th, Spectrum Bridge updated the database used by our white space search tool with the latest FCC TV broadcast license file. Fresh shape files (used to determine in-use TV channel exclusion zones) were also generated using this updated database. These changes deliver search results that more accurately reflect the available white space channel map resulting from the June 12th DTV transition.
To find the TV white space channels anywhere in the country, please visit http://www.showmywhitespace.com/
In the effort to better secure the North American power grid from cyber attack, significant milestones have been reached by NERC’s Critical Infrastructure Protection program. “Cyber security and critical infrastructure protection continue to be a top priority for our organization as we work to ensure the reliability of the bulk power system in North America,” commented NERC’s CEO, Rick Sergel.
Sergel recently announced significant progress has been made in the following areas of the program:
Revised Cyber Security Standards Recently Approved:
The standards have been filed for regulatory approval in the United States and are already mandatory and enforceable in parts of Canada.
Special Cyber Risk Preparedness Assessment to Begin:
Generalized, aggregated results from the assessment will be used to inform standards development activities, alert the industry to potential areas of concern, and identify areas where research and development investment is needed.
Secure Alerting Portal Enters Pre-Launch Testing Phase:
This new portal will facilitate NERC’s alerts process, whereby the organization is able to notify nearly 5,000 industry personnel at utilities, grid operations centers, power plants, and transmission facilities of emerging vulnerabilities as they arise.
Electric Industry Education Initiative:
Scheduled to begin with a series of online webinars, the initiative will include secured and classified industry briefings coordinated with the U.S. and Canadian governments.
To learn more about the status of this NERC program, click here.
On July 28 & 29th, a highly desirable set of licenses will be auctioned on SpecEx.com. They consist of very high frequency (VHF) spectrum licenses covering the state of Florida and part of Georgia. This spectrum is attractive due to its geographic coverage and the wide availability of compatible analog and digital radio equipment from leading vendors.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) frequently utilizes auctions to sell spectrum to commercial entities. However, auctions have not been used to sell spectrum rights on the secondary or “aftermarket" for spectrum. SpecEx, the online marketplace for spectrum™, now enables buyers and sellers to participate private spectrum auctions.
There are a total of 31 Market-Based VHF licenses available in this particular auction. All licenses will be sold on an individual basis, with no limit to the number of licenses one buyer can purchase.
Call 407-792-1570 x521,
email customerservice@specex.com
or visit the SpecEx auction page for more information
The Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) and Spectrum Bridge Inc. have formed a partnership that makes it easier for utilities, critical-infrastructure providers and other spectrum users to access licensed wireless spectrum.
Many questions regarding upcoming wireless choices are on the minds of UTC members who are set to start receiving American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars. Since proposals to receive federal grants are to be “shovel-ready,” decisions need to be made on what frequencies to build networks on:
Can unlicensed spectrum be used? Should licensed be acquired? To what extent can carrier’s frequencies b
e utilized? Maybe a hybrid of all three?
By leveraging SpecEx, the online marketplace for spectrum and Spectrum Bridge’s expertise, the UTC can provide additional spectrum choices to its members and other frequency coordination clientele.
With its extensive experience as an FCC-certified frequency coordinator, UTC can offer unbiased advice on buying or leasing spectrum to its customers, UTC officials said.
A few months ago, Steve Zipperstein (pictured) of Verizon Wireless spoke in Washington DC on canceling the proposed auction for the D-block and combining it with the adjacent 10 MHz already licensed to the Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST). The presentation called for allocating the D-Block to First Responders to facilitate the deployment of an interoperable network. Verizon also offered up its backhaul and back-end systems to support a public safety network using the spectrum. Prior to the Verizon speech, AT&T Wireless had already been floating the same idea.
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