Private Funds Sought for Safety Network

WASHINGTON -- The nation's emergency communication system is inadequate, and the government has come up with a solution _ a nationwide wireless broadband network that will operate on a highly valuable portion of the publicly owned airwaves.

While legislators and bureaucrats have embraced the idea, they haven't dedicated funds to pay for it. For that, the plan depends on private investors.

If the plan succeeds, it will bring the benefits of modern communications technology to the nation's police and firefighters, all without putting a dent in the U.S. Treasury.

If it fails, it will delay a meaningful solution to the nation's emergency communication woes for years to come.

The Federal Communications Commission approved the plan July 31. It calls for the creation of a network shared by public safety officials and commercial users. The cost _ as much $10 billion, according to one potential investor _ would be footed by private investors who, in the long run, hope to turn a profit.

"We kind of rolled the dice when we approved that," said Michael Copps, a Democratic member of the FCC. Copps would have preferred "by a long country mile" that the network were federally funded, but realizes options are limited.

"It's the only viable choice still remaining if we're going to get this built any time soon," he said in an interview.

In remarks approving the concept, Republican FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said that he would "have supported a network exclusively for the use of public safety," but "the simple reality is that there is no way to fund such an enterprise."

The plan the commission approved was adapted from a proposal by Frontline Wireless LLC, a new company loaded with former senior government officials and backed by a who's who of technology industry luminaries.

Frontline wants to combine 10 megahertz of spectrum dedicated to public safety with another 10 megahertz of commercial spectrum, set for auction early next year, to create a shared national network.

The public safety portion would be managed by a nonprofit board consisting of members of public safety organizations. The private portion would be put up for bid. The winning bidder and the public safety board are required to reach a network sharing agreement.

Public safety gets first priority for traffic on the network. Any room that remains will be used for commercial services.