Washington, DC—The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International today adopted a “700 MHz Position Summary” that has also been adopted today by the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC), of which APCO is a member.
APCO International joins with its fellow NSPTC associations to support the establishment of a nationwide public safety broadband network utilizing both a portion of the 700 MHz spectrum allocated for public safety and spectrum assigned to a commercial entity through an encumbered auction.
“This statement reiterates our support for using the FCC’s auction mechanism as a means to promote a viable public-private partnership to achieve a nationwide public safety broadband network,” APCO International President Wanda McCarley said.
As APCO International and NPSTC have previously urged, the FCC must also establish clear rules to ensure that the network meets public safety requirements in terms of coverage, reliability, functionality, and security. The Position Summary also reiterates the common view that “open access” should not be a requirement for the relevant spectrum auction.
Visit http://www.apcointl.org/news/ (pdf) to view the Position Summary.
About APCO International
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to the enhancement of public safety communications. APCO International serves the professional needs of its 15,000 members worldwide by creating a platform for setting professional standards, addressing professional issues and providing education, products and services for people who manage, operate, maintain and supply the communications systems used by police, fire and emergency medical dispatch agencies throughout the world. For more information, visit www.apcointl.org.