Frontline calls up high-powered backers

Frontline Wireless L.L.C. said it picked up big-name, high-tech backing for its market-driven plan to buy spectrum for a national, public-safety broadband network that would be shared with commercial wireless carriers.
The company inked new partnerships with former Netscape executive James Barksdale, software radio technology innovator Vanu Bose, and John Doerr of the venture capital firm of Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers. The new investors join Ram Shriram, managing partner of venture investment company Sherpalo Ventures, as Frontline partners.
Frontline is headed by former officials of previous Bush and Clinton administrations and a cellular industry veteran.
“(Hurricane) Katrina showed that the communications needs of first responders-and the people they serve-have waited far too long for adequate wireless tools,” said Barksdale, a native of Mississippi who joined the governor’s Commission on the Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewal of Mississippi. “These challenges are not unique to Louisiana or Mississippi. Frontline will provide advanced communications for public safety on a national basis with a secure, 4th Generation network built at no cost to first responders.”
The open access component of Frontline’s proposal-whereby 10 megahertz of commercial spectrum adjacent to public safety’s 700 MHz spectrum would be available for both private and first-responder use-has attracted significant support in recent weeks. The plan is based on Frontline’s request for certain rules at the Federal Communications Commission, and successfully bidding on a key slice of spectrum at the 700 MHz auction later this year.
The plan faces major challenges, however.
The mobile phone industry strongly opposes Frontline’s initiative, and one FCC member publicly said the narrowing window for 700 MHz auction preparations may not leave federal regulators enough time to consider the plan. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has made the auction-which could raise up to $15 billion for the U.S. Treasury-arguably his highest priority this year.