WASHINGTON-Public-safety wireless advocates have urged federal regulators not to license additional digital TV stations using frequencies that Congress this year reserved for police, fire and emergency medical service providers.
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials Inc. told Federal Communications Commission Chairman Bill Kennard in a Nov. 14 letter that it opposes any broadcast industry plan that adds DTV channel allotments for UHF channels 60-69 (746-806 MHz).
APCO already has petitioned for reconsideration of an FCC plan to place 15 DTV allotments in channels 60-69. Congress this year reserved 24 megahertz of 800 MHz spectrum in channels 60-69 for public safety.
Now, APCO said it suspects the powerful broadcast lobby wants to drop in another 36 DTV allotments on top of the 15 DTV allotments approved by the FCC in channels 60-69.
The National Association of Broadcasters was not available for comment.
“An additional 36 DTV allotments in channels 60-69 would be devastating, especially since most of those new allotments are likely to be in or near major metropolitan areas, which face the most severe shortages of public-safety spectrum, said Joe McNeil, president of APCO.
Meanwhile, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) wrote the FCC last week warning the agency against pushing for 36 more DTV allotments.
