Public Safety Communications and Spectrum Resources

Book excerpt: Effective emergency response is dependent on wireless communications. To minimize communications failures during and after a crisis requires ongoing improvements in emergencycommunications capacity and capability. The availability of radio frequency spectrum is considered essential to developing a modern, interoperable communications network for public safety. Equally critical is building the radio network to use this spectrum. Contents of this report: (1) The Issues Before Congress; (2) Proposals for Spectrum Assignment: Broadband Plans and the D Block; (3) Providing Structure: Funding: Governance; Concept; (4) Conclusion: Models for Change. Charts and tables.