WASHINGTON-Sprint Nextel Corp. has struck a deal to lease satellite TV spectrum from EchoStar Communications Corp., an arrangement that will give the No. 3 wireless carrier on-demand satellite capacity for its emergency response team and engineering sales support programs.
“Sprint Nextel leads the nation in creating, deploying and operating a dedicated emergency response team that offers essential, interoperable emergency mobile communications services to businesses and government agencies,” said Matt Foosaner, director of the Sprint Nextel ERT. “The recent contract with EchoStar further strengthens Sprint ERT’s capability to provide critical communications and connectivity virtually anywhere and at anytime.”
Financial terms of the long-term contract were not disclosed.
On a related front, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices today released strategies for states to achieve public-safety interoperability
The NGA said the document can aid governors’ efforts to improve wireless interoperability in times of emergency.
“The events of Sept. 11, 2001, and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita emphasize the urgent need for public-safety departments and other agencies, including police, firefighters, transportation operators and public-health officials, to communicate effectively when called upon in a crisis,” said the NGA. “This ability is compromised, however, by challenges such as incompatible and aging communications equipment, limited and fragmented funding and planning, lack of coordination and cooperation and inadequate and fragmented radio spectrum.”
Among the strategies offered are institutionalizing a governance structure that fosters collaborative planning among local, state and federal government agencies; encouraging the development of flexible and open architecture and standards; supporting funding for public-safety agencies that work to achieve interoperability and denying funding for agencies that do not include interoperable solutions; and supporting the efforts of the public-safety community to work with the Federal Communications Commission to allocate ample spectrum for public safety and create contiguous bands for public-safety spectrum.
“Governors are well positioned to provide the leadership necessary to improve public-safety communications interoperability,” said John Thomasian, director of the NGA Center for Best Practices. “This guide will provide governors with the tools they need to enhance emergency communications in their states and across the nation.”
The FCC is poised to receive public comments this week on broadband public-safety spectrum issues raised by startup Cyren Call Communications Corp.
Earlier this month, the FCC rejected Cyren Call’s request for an additional 30 megahertz of 700 MHz spectrum to support broadband public-safety communications-including interoperability. But the commission is keeping the docket open. The FCC is also examining possible rule changes to a separate 24 megahertz at 700 MHz previously allocated for public-safety wireless services.
The 30 megahertz Cyren Call wanted is half of the spectrum block set for FCC auction by Jan. 28, 2008, and is adjacent to the 24 megahertz of 700 MHz public-safety spectrum currently under review by federal regulators.
