Petitions
Petitions filed by the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance
Reauthorization of the FirstNet Authority
In 2009, the leadership of the major public safety organizations came together for the first time ever to ask Congress for dedicated spectrum and funds to build out and maintain the first-ever dedicated Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN). In 2012, the U.S. Congress allocated 20 MHz of spectrum (D Block), $7 billion to public safety, and created FirstNet and the governance framework, the FirstNet Authority.
After many successful years of operation and growth, the FirstNet Authority is up for Congressional reauthorization. To ensure public safety has continued and uninterrupted access to the FirstNet network and that first responders’ mission-critical communications remain a priority as capabilities evolve and grow. It is critical that first responders from across the country let Congress know how critical FirstNet is to our first responders. This dedicated broadband network is vital for current and future public safety technologies, and reauthorization ensures that the current 7 million+ users continue to have access to their network.
It is critical that first responders from across the country let Congress know how critical FirstNet is to our first responders
Protect Our 4.9 GHz Public Safety Spectrum Future
Public safety requires a dedicated radio and broadband spectrum to perform our duties in protecting the public. We depend on this spectrum for our radio systems and for our broadband data network needs. This was acknowledged in the 9/11 Commission report and Congress also demonstrated a deep understanding of the importance of a dedicated nationwide public safety network when they created The FirstNet Authority in 2012. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has historically been a strong partner in protecting public safety spectrum. They have understood public safety’s spectrum needs and supported us through their actions, such as the allocation of the 4.9GHz in 2002. In March of 2018, however, the Commission issued the “SIXTH FURTHER NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING” (FNPRM) signaling consideration for “opening up the band to additional uses”. There have been additional FNPRM issued with opposition advocating that local agencies should be allowed to control and build their own networks along while allowing access to Critical Infrastructure (CI) companies. The end result could be an irreversible allowance of commercial use of the 4.9 GHz band that should remain solely used for public safety. Additionally, we do not want to go backward in time and again have disparate systems that are unable to work, communicate, and integrate with one another.
PSSA 4.9 GHz Petition for Reconsideration
December 29, 2020