AT&T: Spectrum biggest issue in keeping public safety net costs down

[Commentary] While Federal Communications Commission officials have emphasized the need for public safety to be able to construct its proposed 700 MHz broadband network in conjunction with commercial carriers' LTE deployments to make the costs more reasonable, an AT&T official said he believes there will be greater costs associated with not reallocating the D-block to public safety.

While AT&T and Verizon have plenty of 700 MHz spectrum to support their planned LTE networks, no other national carrier is in the same position. Some industry analysts believe auctioning the D-block represents the last chance to introduce greater commercial wireless competition at 700 MHz, which has been a stated priority for the FCC and many federal lawmakers.