Public Airwaves for Public Safety

PUBLIC AIRWAVES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: John Dunbar]
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.
http://story.arabherald.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/2411cd3571b4f088/id/97416...