July 08, 2008
The Public Safety Network
The shared network will serve as the nation's public safety wireless broadband network, so it must meet important requirements for public safety communications. Accordingly, the FCC has required that the network and related network sharing arrangements incorporate the following:
- Specifications for a broadband technology platform that provides mobile voice, video, and data capability that is seamlessly interoperable across agencies, jurisdictions, and geographic areas.
- Sufficient robustness to meet the reliability and performance requirements of public safety. To meet this standard, network specifications must include features such as hardening of transmission facilities and antenna towers to withstand harsh weather and disaster conditions, and backup power sufficient to maintain operations for an extended period of time.
- Sufficient capacity to meet the needs of public safety, particularly during emergency and disaster situations, so that public safety applications are not degraded.
- Security and encryption consistent with state-of-the-art technologies.
- A mechanism for automatic prioritization of public safety communications over commercial uses on a real-time basis and to assign the highest priority to communications involving safety of life and property and homeland security.
- Operational capabilities consistent with features and requirements specified by the public safety licensee that are typical of evolving state-of-the-art public safety networks.
- Operational control of the network by the public safety licensee to the extent necessary to ensure that public safety requirements are met.
- The public safety licensee's right to determine and approve the specifications of public safety equipment that is used on the network, and the right to purchase subscriber equipment from any vendor it chooses.
- The public safety licensee's right to have the D Block licensee make available to it at least one handset that would be suitable for public safety use and includes an integrated satellite solution capable of operating both on the 700 MHz public safety broadband spectrum and on satellite frequencies.
