WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission Wednesday closed out the four-year-old National Coordination Committee, which developed standards for using public-safety spectrum in the 700 MHz band.
After more than 20 meetings, the NCC reached consensus that will ensure public-safety interoperability at 700 MHz, said NCC Chair Kathleen Hackett Wallman.
The end of the NCC came one day shy of the second anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, where once again, first responders were often unable to talk to each other via their two-way radios.
The 700 MHz band spectrum is being made available as TV broadcaster transition to digital TV. TV broadcasters are to give back their 700 MHz 6-megahertz channel when 85 percent of the homes in their areas are capable of receiving DTV or Jan. 1, 2007, whichever is later. Along those lines, the FCC Wednesday adopted rules for cable plug-and-play devices, which will hopefully speed the DTV transition by making consumer electronics more affordable.
This delay in getting the spectrum to public safety was noted by Wallman, who said first responders are in need of spectrum. Wallman also implored the FCC to not let the interference problems that have developed in the 800 MHz band happen in the 700 MHz band.
