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Updated August 10, 2016 Contents Spectrum Management Allocation and Assignment Auction Authority Auction Revenue Distribution of Proceeds from Auctions Required by the Spectrum Act The Public Safety Trust Fund Establishing [...]

Updated May 19, 2015 Contents What Is Homeland Security? Homeland Security: Missions and Strategy The Budget and Security DHS Appropriations Homeland Security and the U.S. Intelligence Community Selected IC Issues [...]

Updated April 7, 2015 Contents Introduction Overarching S&T Policy Issues The Federal Science and Technology Policymaking Enterprise Federal Funding for Research and Development America COMPETES Act Public Access to Federal [...]

Summary The convergence of wireless telecommunications technology with the Internet Protocol (IP) is fostering new generations of mobile technologies. This transformation has created new demands for advanced communications infrastructure and [...]

Contents The Role of Spectrum Policy Competition Innovat The National Broadband Plan and Spectrum Policy Spectrum Policy Recommendations Spectrum Licenses Television Broadcast Spectrum D Block Advanced Wireless Service Auctions Shared [...]

Summary Advances in wireless telecommunications technology are converging with Internet technology to foster new generations of applications and services. Presently, the United States and other countries are moving to third-generation […]

The article focuses on the working of Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 for broadband network for public safety communications by First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). It mentions that Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assign a license to FirstNet. It mentions the provision of interoperable communications by FirstNet.

The article reports on management issues facing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as of May 2015. Topics include the extensiveness of the involvement of departmental management in the functioning of departmental components, the financial management challenges faced by the DHS since its inception, and DHS personnel issues.

The article discusses disaster preparedness, response and recovery as a component of U.S. homeland security. Topics include the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) which is the source of the disaster assistance provided by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency to states and localities, the budget authority appropriated by the U.S. Congress to the DRF, and the 11th U.S. Congress' continued oversight of how the National Preparedness System is developing.

The article discusses information about border security and trade as one of the issues facing U.S. homeland security. Topics include the continued domination of Mexican drug trafficking organizations in the U.S. drug market, destabilizing activities funded by proceeds from illegal enterprises including smuggling and terrorist operations, and the reliance of Mexican traffickers on cross-border tunnels to smuggle persons and drugs.

The article discusses counterterrorism and security management as one of the issues facing homeland security in the U.S. Topics include the efforts of the U.S. government as of May 2015 to address treats from terror group Al Qaeda, its affiliated organizations and adherents to its violence-based philosophy and the Islamic State, and the need to understand the continued evolution of Al Qaeda and Islamic State into global entities to formulating policy and overseeing its implementation.

The article discusses the definition of homeland security. Topics include the U.S. Department of Homeland Security which was created by the Homeland Security Act of 2002. Also mentioned are the assembly of the new department from components pulled from different government agencies, issues that have implications for homeland security including the role of the military in law enforcement, and missions and strategy of homeland security.

The article discusses issues on homeland and security policy for the 114th U.S. Congress. These issues include counterterrorism and security management, border security and trade, disaster preparedness, response and recovery, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security management issues. Topics include definitions of homeland security, the homeland security budget, and the role of homeland security actors in the intelligence community.

The article discusses the key provisions of the Spectrum Act that aim to address public safety communications. Topics covered include the mandate of FirstNet as developer and manager of nationwide public safety communications, the re-designation of federal licenses for the 700 megahertz (MHz) band under the Spectrum Act, and the requirement for public safety users to return T-Band frequencies. It also examines the cost and funding sources for building a new wireless communications network.

The article reports on the policy priorities for the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in 2015. Topics discussed include the requirements for the NTIA to promote spectrum sharing, to continue expanding broadband access and to support a consensus-based approach to Internet governance, the criticisms leveled against the NTIA's First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) program related to information transparency and the progress plan for FirstNet.

The article presents the January 2015 U.S. Congressional Research Service study titled "The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA): An Overview of Programs and Funding" by Linda K. Moore. Topics discussed include the responsibilities of the NTIA, the features of the NTIA's BroadbandUSA program aimed at expanding broadband deployment in the country and the grant programs administered by the NTIA related to telecommunications.

Today's 911 system is built on an infrastructure of analog technology that does not support many of the features that most Americans expect to be part of an emergency response. Efforts to splice newer, digital technologies onto this aging infrastructure have created points of failure where a call can be dropped or misdirected, sometimes with tragic consequences. Callers to 911, however, generally assume that the newer technologies they are using to place a call are matched by the same level of technology at the 911 call centers, known as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). However, this is not always the case. To modernize the system to provide the quality of service that approaches the expectations of its users will require that the PSAPs, and state, local, and possibly federal emergency communications authorities invest in new technologies. As envisioned by most stakeholders, these new technologies-collectively referred to as Next Generation 911 or NG9-1-1-should incorporate Internet Protocol (IP) standards. An IP-enabled emergency communications network that supports 911 will facilitate interoperability and system resilience; improve connections between 911 call centers; provide more robust capacity; and offer flexibility in receiving and managing calls. The same network can also serve wireless broadband communications for public safety and other emergency personnel, as well as other purposes. Recognizing the importance of providing effective 911 service, Congress has passed three major bills supporting improvements in the handling of 911 emergency calls. The Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-81) established 911 as the number to call for emergencies and gave the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authority to regulate many aspects of the service. The most recent of these laws, the NET 911 Improvement Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-283), required the preparation of a National Plan for migrating to an IP-enabled emergency network. Responsibility for the plan was assigned to the E-911 Implementation Coordination Office (ICO), created to meet requirements of an earlier law, the ENHANCE 911 Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-494). Authorization for the ICO terminated on September 30, 2009. ICO was jointly administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The FCC has included recommendations for advancing NG9-1-1 as part of the National Broadband Plan it presented to Congress on March 16, 2010. It has proposed that the FCC take on an expanded role in assuring that NG9-1-1 services meet future consumer expectations for broadband-based communications. Congress may evaluate whether additional actions are needed on its part in order to support a cohesive policy for transitioning to NG9-1-1. Other types of citizen-activated emergency calls are handled in call centers. Increasingly many calls for assistance are placed by dialing 211. The number has been provisionally designated for community information and referrals. Service levels and response times for 211 calls would benefit from a transition to IP-enabled networks and in many cases could share infrastructure with 911 networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective emergency response is dependent on wireless communications. To minimize communications failures during and after a crisis requires ongoing improvements in emergency communications capacity and capability. The availability of radio frequency spectrum is considered essential to developing a modern, interoperable communications network for public safety. Also critical are (1) building the network to use this spectrum and (2) developing and deploying the radios to the new standards required for mobile broadband. Beyond recognition of these common needs and goals, opinions diverge on such issues as how much spectrum should be made available for public safety broadband communications, how communications networks should be configured, who should own them, who should build them, who should operate them, who should be allowed to use them, and how they might be paid for. Three bills that would increase the amount of radio frequency spectrum assigned for public safety use have been introduced. The bills would require that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) transfer a spectrum license intended for commercial use, known as the D Block, to the license-holder for adjacent frequencies already assigned to public safety, known as the Public Safety Broadband License. The Broadband for First Responders Act of 2010 (H.R. 5081, Representative King) deals primarily with reassignment of the D Block. Two Senate bills contain similar provisions for spectrum assignment and would add a number of new provisions, including using the proceeds of future spectrum auctions to fund the needed network (S. 3625, Senator Lieberman and S. 3756, Senator Rockefeller). The development of public safety radios for broadband would be expedited by companion bills H.R. 5907 (Representative Harman) and S. 3731 (Senator Warner). Public safety operations would benefit from the radio-development initiative regardless of the eventual assignment of the D Block. Congress may consider additional legislation or oversight to meet desired levels of emergency communications performance. Among the actions that Congress might take, those dealing with governance and funding are often cited by public safety officials and others as the areas most in need of its consideration. Many have recommended that, for the proposed broadband network projects to go forward on a sustainable footing, funding sources need to be identified for investment and operating expenses over the long term. To ensure the resources are wisely used, some analysts point to the primacy of putting in place a well-grounded but flexible governance structure. The debate on spectrum assignment has in recent months dominated the attention of Congress and other policy makers. Meanwhile, several states and urban areas including the San Francisco Bay Area, Boston, and the State of Mississippi have submitted detailed plans for building the nation's first broadband networks that might serve as a practical framework for evaluating policy options. These plans, developed according to FCC requirements, share many common features. Notable from a policy point of view are several recommendations that provide a common theme in these early submissions. These may be summarized as: (1) sufficient funding is essential; (2) networks that either cover an area designated as eligible for Urban Area Security Initiative programs, or cover a regional area-that is, large and/or densely populated areas-are more efficient to build, operate, and govern; (3) several critical technologies and standards, such as for radios, must be developed before the networks can be fully effective; (4) some form of governing sur-structure must be in place to assure uniformity of core operations while allowing for local customization of public safety applications; and (5) collaboration with commercial partners is important for mustering all the skills and knowledge resources needed for developing the leading-edge broadband networks that are the goals of the submitted plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mid-2005, wireless communications managers commenced the process of moving selected public safety radio channels to new frequencies. This step was part of a rebanding plan to mitigate persistent problems with interference to public safety radio communications. The majority of documented incidents of interference was attributed to the network built by Nextel Communications, Inc (now Sprint Nextel). As part of an agreement originally made between Nextel and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), some public safety wireless users have moved or will move to new frequencies, with the wireless company paying all or part of the cost. The rebanding agreement was not affected by the merger between Nextel and Sprint Corporation. In return for the expenditures, and reflecting the value of spectrum that Sprint Nextel relinquished as part of the band reconfiguration, the FCC assigned new spectrum licenses to the wireless company. The FCC set the "windfall" value of the new licenses, after allowing for the value of the licenses being relinquished, at $2.8 billion. The costs that Sprint Nextel incurs in the rebanding process are being applied to the $2.8 billion windfall. If the total is less than $2.8 billion, Sprint Nextel will be required to make an "anti-windfall" payment to the U.S. Treasury for the difference. If the costs exceed $2.8 billion, Sprint Nextel is obligated to pay them without any new concessions from the FCC. The rebanding plan is being implemented by the 800 MHz Transition Administrator (TA), created by the FCC for this purpose. The TA's ongoing responsibilities are to set priorities, establish schedules, and oversee reimbursement to parties for eligible expenses associated with relocation. Disagreements about the implementation of the plan that the TA cannot resolve on its own or through mediation are in most cases referred to the FCC. From the outset, there have been debates about the transition plan, such as maintaining interoperability, scheduling, and reimbursement for costs incurred. As the band reconfiguration proceeds, debates have often become protracted negotiations—and even litigatious disputes—slowing the transition process. The original plan set a deadline of June 2008 to complete the transition, with the calculation - or true-up - of the anti-windfall payment to occur six months later. The deadline has been extended several times while issues regarding the transition process were resolved. Consequently, the deadline for the true-up has also been extended, most recently until December 2010. The TA has until November 15, 2010, to file a report with the FCC with its recommendations as to whether it has sufficient information on the costs of rebanding to calculate the anti-windfall payment - if any - that Sprint Nextel will be obligated to pay, or whether the deadline must be postponed again. Additional delays are occurring in U.S. border areas. The transition plan for frequencies along the Canadian border is scheduled for completion in April 2011. Negotiations continue with Mexico about rebanding frequencies along the Mexican border. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The convergence of wireless telecommunications technology with the Internet Protocol (IP) is fostering new generations of mobile technologies. This transformation has created new demands for advanced communications infrastructure and radio frequency spectrum capacity that can support high-speed, content-rich uses. Furthermore, a number of services, in addition to consumer and business communications, rely at least in part on wireless links to broadband backbones. Wireless technologies support public safety communications, sensors, smart grids, medicine and public health, intelligent transportation systems, and many other vital communications. Existing policies for allocating and assigning spectrum rights may not be sufficient to meet the future needs of wireless broadband. A challenge for Congress is to provide decisive policies in an environment where there are many choices but little consensus. In formulating spectrum policy, mainstream viewpoints generally diverge on whether to give priority to market economics or social goals. Regarding access to spectrum, economic policy looks to harness market forces to allocate spectrum efficiently, with spectrum license auctions as the driver. Social policy favors ensuring wireless access to support a variety of social objectives where economic return is not easily quantified, such as improving education, health services, and public safety. Both approaches can stimulate economic growth and job creation. Deciding what weight to give to specific goals and setting priorities to meet those goals pose difficult tasks for federal administrators and regulators and for Congress. Meaningful oversight or legislation may require making choices about what goals will best serve the public interest. Relying on market forces to make those decisions may be the most efficient and effective way to serve the public but, to achieve this, policy makers may need to broaden the concept of what constitutes competition in wireless markets. The National Broadband Plan (NBP), a report on broadband policy mandated by Congress, has provided descriptions of perceived issues to be addressed by a combination of regulatory changes and the development of new policies at the Federal Communications Commission, with recommendations for legislative actions that Congress might take. Among the spectrum policy initiatives that have been proposed in Congress in recent years are: allocating more spectrum for unlicensed use; auctioning airwaves currently allocated for federal use; and devising new fees on spectrum use, notably those collected by the FCC’s statutory authority to implement these measures is limited. The NBP reiterates these proposals and adds several more. Substantive modifications in spectrum policy would almost surely require congressional action. The Radio Spectrum Inventory Act introduced in the Senate (S. 649, Kerry) and the similar House-introduced Radio Spectrum Inventory Act (H.R. 3125, Waxman) would require an inventory of existing users on prime radio frequencies, a preliminary step in evaluating policy changes. The Spectrum Relocation and Improvement Act of 2009 (H.R. 3019, Inslee) and the Spectrum Relocation Act of 2010 (S. 3490, Warner) would amend the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-494, Title II). The Broadband for First Responders Act (H.R. 5081, King) would allocate additional radio frequencies for public safety use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an overview of the trends in micro networks evolution in the U.S. The topics discussed include the comparison between micro networks and the long-term evolution (LTE) network, the attributes of the micro networks. Moreover, it also presents a diagram of the small cell neighborhood micro network.

The article discusses the modernization of the 911 call centers or Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in the U.S. It refers to the Generation 911 or NG9-1-1 with Internet Protocol standards as provided by the Spectrum Act which re-establishes the functions of the Implementation Coordination Office (ICO). The ICO will provide matching grants to eligible state, local governments, and tribal organizations to implement, operate, and migrate to 911 and IP-enabled emergency services.

The article offers information on the creation of the independent authority, First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), within the National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA) as provided by the Spectrum Act. The telecommunication policy provides an opportunity for states to plan, build, and operate their own Radio Access Networks within the national broadband network. FirstNet has been given goals, timeframes, and broad powers by the U.S. Congress under the Act.

The article offers information on the document titled "Request for Information for Comprehensive Network Solutions" that details the Requests for Information (RFI) for the government agency the First Responder Network Authority of the U.S. National Telecommunications Administration.

The article presents examples of statutory obligations for the U.S. Congress and the administration in the direction of First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). These include membership on FirstNet board, grant programs for state networks and funding for FirstNet and participating states through the Network Construction Fund. The need for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to review the initial 10-year license assigned to FirstNet and consider its renewal is also tackled.

The article discusses the allocation of sufficient spectrum for wireless emergency communications in the U.S. It highlights the re-designation of Congress of some public safety licenses in the 700 MHz band and the additional license for commercial use with the passage of the Spectrum Act. It also tackles the support of the spectrum allocation for broadband networks as well as mentions the requirement of the Spectrum Act for public safety users to return frequencies known as the T-band.

Effective emergency response is dependent on wireless communications. To minimize communications failures during and after a crisis requires ongoing improvements in emergency communications capacity and capability. The availability of radio frequency spectrum is considered essential to developing a modern, interoperable communications network for public safety. Equally critical is building the radio network to use this spectrum. Opinions diverge, however, on such issues as how much spectrum should be made available for the network, who should own it, who should build it, who should operate it, who should be allowed to use it, and how it might be paid for. As a consequence, nascent planning for a national network is incomplete and some state and local network plans have been delayed. To resolve the debate and move the planning process forward, Congress may decide to pursue oversight or change existing law. Actions proposed to Congress include (1) authorizing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reassign spectrum and (2) changing requirements for the use of spectrum auction proceeds. In particular, legislation in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-171), as amended, might be modified. This law mandated the termination of analog television broadcasting and the release of those channels for other uses, including public safety. The act identified the frequencies from the analog television channels that were to be auctioned by the FCC. It also created a trust fund that set aside part of the auction proceeds for a number of programs, with the balance destined for the U.S. Treasury. Among the programs receiving funds from the trust fund was a billion-dollar program for grants to public safety, the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant program. Alternative proposals on how to assign spectrum for public safety use have been presented to the FCC and to Congress. To build the needed network requires coordination at many levels: developing the network concept, identifying a governance structure that assures the network is built and maintained, and funding capital and operating costs. Many believe that empowering leadership and identifying funding sources should ideally be resolved before the final decision is reached about spectrum allocation. There is an opportunity for two transformative changes in policy: for public safety communications and for spectrum management. As old technologies give way to mobile Internet access, changes in spectrum management are required to accommodate new wireless technologies. For the public safety community to incorporate these new technologies into emergency communications would require a change in stakeholders’ planning goals. The interaction between spectrum policy and homeland security policy might be changed through the planning and execution of an interoperable network for public safety. Congress has recognized the value of using Internet protocols for IP-based networks for 911 communications, by supporting the transition of out-dated 911 systems to IP-based technologies. Congress has not previously considered giving the same attention to the adoption of IP-based technologies for public safety radio communications. Congress might provide leadership and resources that can bring a nationwide, interoperable network for public safety from concept to reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The convergence of wireless telecommunications technology and Internet protocols is fostering new generations of mobile technologies. This transformation has created new demands for advanced communications infrastructure and radio frequency spectrum capacity that can support high-speed, content-rich uses. Furthermore, a number of services, in addition to consumer and business communications, rely at least in part on wireless links to broadband backbones. Wireless technologies support public safety communications, sensors, medicine and public health, intelligent transportation systems, electrical utility smart grids, and many other vital communications. Existing policies for allocating and assigning spectrum rights may not be sufficient to meet the future needs of wireless broadband. A challenge for Congress is to provide decisive policies in an environment where there are many choices but little consensus. In formulating spectrum policy, mainstream viewpoints generally diverge on whether to give priority to market economics or social goals. Regarding access to spectrum, economic policy looks to harness market forces to allocate spectrum efficiently, with spectrum license auctions as the driver. Social policy favors ensuring wireless access to support a variety of social objectives where economic return is not easily quantified, such as improving education, health services, and public safety. Both approaches can stimulate economic growth and job creation. Choices about the direction of policy, however, can favor some industries over others. Deciding what weight to give to specific goals and setting priorities to meet those goals pose difficult tasks for federal administrators and regulators and for Congress. Meaningful oversight or legislation may require making choices about what goals will best serve the public interest. Relying on market forces to make those decisions may be the most efficient and effective way to serve the public but, to achieve this, policy makers may need to broaden the concept of what constitutes competition in wireless markets. This report considers the possibility of modifying spectrum policy: (1) to support national goals for broadband deployment by placing more emphasis on attracting new providers of wireless broadband services; and (2) to accommodate the wireless broadband needs of industries that are considered by many to be the economic drivers of the future, not only communications, but also areas such as energy, health care, transportation, and education. Among the spectrum policy initiatives that have been proposed in Congress are: allocating more spectrum for unlicensed use; auctioning airwaves currently allocated for federal use; and devising new fees on spectrum use, notably those collected by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC’s statutory authority to implement these measures is limited. Substantive modifications in spectrum policy would almost surely require congressional action. The Radio Spectrum Inventory Act introduced in the Senate (S. 649, Senator Kerry) and the similar House introduced Radio Spectrum Inventory Act (H.R. 3125, Representative Waxman) would require an inventory of existing users on prime radio frequencies, a preliminary step in evaluating policy changes. The FCC also has the opportunity to establish a new course for spectrum policy in the preparation of a Congressionally mandated report on broadband policy, due in February 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amber Alerts (also referred to as AMBER plans) use technology to disseminate information about child abductions in a timely manner. Research has found that most abducted children murdered by their kidnappers are killed within three hours of the abduction. Prompt response to child abductions is therefore deemed critical by many. Amber Alert plans are voluntary partnerships including law enforcement agencies, highway departments, and companies that support emergency alerts. Technologies used for alerts include the Emergency Alert System (EAS), highway messages boards, telephone alert systems, the Internet, text messaging, and email. All 50 states have statewide Amber Alert programs. Because kidnappers can cross state lines with their victims, the Department of Justice will often be involved in responding to an abduction. For this and other reasons, there is increased federal involvement in and support of Amber Alert plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is built on a structure conceived in the 1950's when over-the- air broadcasting was the best-available technology for widely disseminating emergency alerts. It is one of several federally managed warning systems. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) jointly administers EAS with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in cooperation with the National Weather Service (NWS), an organization within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The NOAA/NWS weather radio system has been upgraded to an all-hazard warning capability. Measures to improve the NOAA network and the new Digital Emergency Alert System (DEAS) are ongoing. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), working with the Association of Public Television Stations, is implementing a program that will disseminate national alert messages over digital broadcast airwaves, using satellite and public TV broadcast towers. This program, referred to as the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), is part of the Department's response to an Executive Order requiring the Secretary of Homeland Security to meet specific requirements for an alert system as part of U.S. policy. Legislation was passed at the end of the 109th Congress (the Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act, or WARN Act, as signed into law as Title VI of P.L. 109-347) to assure funding to public television stations to install digital equipment to handle national alerts. The law also required the establishment of a committee to provide the FCC with recommendations regarding the transmittal of emergency alerts by commercial mobile service providers to their subscribers. Committee recommendations provided the structure for a Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS). In addition to presidential alerts, which clearly are a federal responsibility, the service would transmit emergency alerts generated by state, local, and other non-federal authorities. The Congressionally mandated improvements to DEAS were still incomplete at the beginning of 2009. The FCC fulfilled its obligations to establish the framework for CMAS but the federal administrative structure needed to support it has to be put in place. The federal agency responsible for completing work on both of these projects is FEMA's National Continuity Program Directorate. The 111th Congress may choose to pursue oversight of these programs, continuing the efforts of the 110th Congress, and to consider new measure to improve the nation's capability to provide alerts and information before, during, and after an emergency. H.R. 2591 (Representative Diaz- Balart) would write requirements for IPAWS into law, by amending the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. H.R. 3028 (Representative Thompson) would give authority to the President to make grants for innovative programs that would benefit first responders in mitigating natural disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's 911 system is built on an infrastructure of analog technology that does not support many of the features that most Americans expect are part of an emergency response. Efforts to splice newer, digital technologies onto this aging infrastructure have created points of failure where a call can be dropped or misdirected, sometimes with tragic consequences. Callers to 911, however, generally assume that the newer technologies they are using to place a call are matched by the same level of technology at the 911 call center. This is not the case. For example, except for some work-around solutions, Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) -- the call centers -- cannot receive text messages. Delays in moving calls from digital to analog mode add life-threatening seconds to the completion of a 911 call. Information about a caller's location may not be accurate, especially in the case of wireless calls. Technology to supply accurate location information for wireless calls is useless unless the systems receiving and processing the call have matching capability. Modernizing the system to provide the quality of service that approaches the expectations of its users will require investments in new technologies. The general consensus is that these new technologies, collectively referred to as Next Generation 911 or NG9-1-1, should incorporate Internet Protocol (IP) networks and standards. An IP-based emergency communications network that supports 911 will facilitate interoperability and system resilience; improve connections between 911 call centers, emergency responders, and alert and warning systems; provide more robust capacity; and offer flexibility to receive calls for help in any format. Recognizing the importance of providing effective 911 service, Congress has passed three major bills supporting improvements in the handling of 911 emergency calls. The most recent of these -- the NET 911 Improvement Act of 2008 (P.L. 110283) -- requires the preparation of a National Plan for migrating to an IP-enabled emergency network. The plan is to be prepared by the E-911 Implementation Coordination Office (ICO), created to meet requirements of an earlier law, the ENHANCE 911 Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-494). ICO is co-administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The plan will likely incorporate elements from studies done by DOT. The ICO is scheduled to terminate on October 1, 2009. Although Congress has required that the National Plan be completed in April 2009, this leaves little time to implement recommendations; other goals set for the ICO by Congress will likely not be met. The National Plan could guide policies to strengthen the nation's 911 system, if there is an agency or organization to provide the needed leadership to implement the plan's recommendations and other policy decisions. To assure continuity of leadership, Congress may choose to re-authorize the ICO. It could also consider other means to coordinate Congressional policy and monitor progress toward the fundamental policy goal of creating an IP-enabled emergency communications network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is built on a structure conceived in the 1950's when over-the-air broadcasting was the best-available technology for widely disseminating emergency alerts. It is one of several federally managed warning systems. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) jointly administers EAS with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in cooperation with the National Weather Service (NWS), an organization within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The NOAA/NWS weather radio system has been upgraded to an all-hazard warning capability. Measures to improve the NOAA network and the new Digital Emergency Alert System (DEAS) are ongoing. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), working with the Association of Public Television Stations, is implementing a program that will disseminate national alert messages over digital broadcast airwaves, using satellite and public TV broadcast towers. Legislation was passed at the end of the 109th Congress (the Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act, or WARN Act, as signed into law as Title VI of P.L. 109-347) to assure funding to public televison stations to install digital equipment to handle national alerts. The law also required the establishment of a committee to provide the FCC with recommendations regarding the transmittal of emergency alerts by commercial mobile service providers to their subscribers. Committee recommendations provided the structure for a Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS). In addition to presidential alerts, which clearly are a federal responsibility, the service would transmit emergency alerts generated by state, local, and other non-federal authorities. Implementation of CMAS is in abeyance until a federal agency can be identified to take on the role of receiving, verifying, and transmitting non-federal alerts to cell phone operators. Legislation may be required to resolve this impasse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in wireless telecommunications technology are converging with Internet technology to foster new generations of applications and services. Presently, the United States and other countries are moving to third-generation (3G) and fourth-generation (4G) mobile telephony. A related trend is the growth in use of Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) and WiMAX (an industry designation for a type of broadband standard). Wi-Fi uses local wireless networks for high-speed (broadband) mobile access to the Internet. WiMAX uses broadband wireless to link fixed points and also supports mobile devices. From the perspective of spectrum management, a significant difference in the technologies is that 3G, 4G, and WiMAX services operate on designated, licensed frequencies, while Wi-Fi shares unlicenced spectrum with other uses. From the perspective of spectrum policy, a key difference between licensed and unlicensed use is that the market for services delivered over licensed frequencies is developed by the license-holder whereas demand for services on unlicensed frequencies is developed by the manufacturers of the devices. As the markets for Wi-Fi and WiMAX expand, policy issues before Congress include the competitive impact on commercial wireless carriers when municipalities offer wireless broadband services, promoting the development of broadband wireless access, and assuring the availability of appropriate spectrum. Legislation providing terms for the release of spectrum for unlicensed or licensed use in TV "white space" includes S. 234 (Kerry) and its companion bill H.R. 1597 (Inslee); S. 337 (Sununu); and H.R. 1320 (Rush). S. 1853 ( Lautenberg), the Community Broadband Act, would assure the right of communities to offer advanced telecommunications services. H.R. 5682 (Allen), the Rural America Communication Expansion for the Future Act of 2008, would provide incentives to encourage broadband use in rural areas, including a grants program for local governments "to establish publicly-available networks of broadband service." The Wireless Internet Nationwide for Families Act of 2008, H.R. 5846 (Eshoo) would require the FCC to auction two national licenses for unpaired spectrum that would be used to provide free broadband services to consumers and public safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since September 11, 2001, several bills introduced in the U.S. Congress have included provisions to assist emergency communications. Key provisions from a number of these bills have become law. Legislation addressing communications among first responders focused first on interoperability -- the capability of different systems to connect -- with provisions in the Homeland Security Act (P.L. 107-296). The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (P.L. 108-458) provided more comprehensive language that included requirements for developing a national approach to achieving interoperability. Some of the legislative requirements were based on recommendations made by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission). Also in response to a Commission recommendation regarding the availability of spectrum for radio operations, Congress set a date to release needed radio frequency spectrum by early 2009, as part of the Deficit Reduction Act (P.L. 109-171). The act would also provide funding for the improvement of 911 systems. In a section of the Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007 (P.L. 109-295, Title VI, Subtitle D) Congress revisited the needs of an effective communications capacity for first responders and other emergency personnel and expanded the provisions of P.L. 108458. The 109th Congress also passed provisions to improve emergency alerts, incorporated in the Port Security Improvement Act (P.L. 109-347). The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-53) was passed in the 1st Session of the 110th Congress. Sections in the act modified and expanded provisions for emergency communications passed in P.L. 109-171 and P.L. 109-295. Coming into the 2nd Session, funding public safety may come under renewed consideration by Congress. Bills already introduced include S. 74 (Senator Schumer), to ensure adequate funding for high-threat areas; H.R. 3116 (Representative Stupak) creating a Public Safety Communications Trust Fund to receive the balance remaining in the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Fund after payments already required by Congress have been made; H.R. 130, a funding bill for first responders (Representative Frelinghuysen), with a provision that would require the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a study evaluating the need to assign additional spectrum for use by public safety; S. 345 (Senator Biden), that would provide funding and includes a requirement for the immediate release of spectrum for public safety use, now scheduled for 2009. The bills that carry provisions regarding spectrum are referring, for the most part, to licenses at 700 MHz that were auctioned in January-March 2008; some of the licenses have been assigned to public safety. The proceeds from the auction will be deposited in the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Fund, from which mandated disbursements will be made by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The auction earned over $19 billion, producing a surplus in the fund that is scheduled to revert to the Treasury as general revenue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present capability and future effectiveness of America's network of emergency telecommunications services are among the issues under review by Congress and other entities. Emergency calls (911) on both wireline (landline) and wireless networks are considered by many to be part of the public safety network. As technologies that can support 911 improve, many are seeing the possibility of integrating 911 into a wider safety net of emergency communications and alerts. One of the intents of Congress in passing the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-81), and of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in implementing the act, is to make 911 technology universally available nationwide. A 2002 report, known as the Hatfield Report, recognized the need to upgrade 911 infrastructure, discussed the difficulties encountered, and recommended the creation of a 911 bureau at the Executive level. Congress addressed recommendations from the Hatfield Report with provisions passed in the ENHANCE 911 Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-494). This legislation created a federal program for 911 implementation and coordination and authorized funds for a matching grant program. The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-53) authorized the immediate release of $43.5 million designated for 911 improvements by the Deficit Reduction Act. This amount will be recovered from spectrum auction proceeds slated for deposit, in 2008, into the Digital Transition and Public Safety Fund, created by the act.... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report summarizes salient points of the FCC rules regarding the creation of a public-private partnership to build and manage a national communications network for public safety use. The Communications Act of 1934, as amended, empowers the FCC to set rules for auctions and to take steps to ensure the safety of the public. The FCC has used this authority to create a governance structure allowing a Public Safety Broadband Licensee to share spectrum rights with a commercial enterprise and to collaborate in the construction and management of a shared network. The two licensees and the network will operate according to requirements set out by the FCC as part of its rulemaking for the upcoming auction of frequencies within the 700 MHz band. These frequencies are being vacated by television broadcasters in their switch to digital technologies. As mandated by the FCC, the partnership is to build a shared network on spectrum capacity assigned to two separate entities. One partner will be a not-forprofit corporation, created for this purpose, that will hold a Public Safety Broadband License. The other partner will be the winning bidder for a national license, known as the D Block, that will be offered as part of the 700 MHz auction. Both licensees will be required to conform to rules set by the FCC in creating a Network Sharing Agreement (NSA). The NSA will in effect be the business plan and the contractual foundation for the shared network.... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio frequency spectrum policy issues before Congress are characterized by economic, technological and regulatory complexity. Of particular interest to policy makers are the allocation of spectrum for specific types of use (such as TV broadcasting, radio, advanced wireless services, or unlicensed) and the assignment of licenses for exclusive or shared use of specific frequencies. Today, most frequencies allocated for commercial uses are assigned through auctions, with licenses going to the highest bidder. Another important allocation of spectrum is for unlicensed use. Both commercial and non-commercial entities use unlicensed spectrum to meet a wide variety of monitoring and communications needs. Suppliers of wireless devices must meet requirements for certification to operate on frequency bands designated for unlicensed use. Examples of unlicensed use include garage door openers and Wi-Fi communications. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates spectrum not allocated for federal use, is responsible for auctioning spectrum licenses, and can also use its authority to redistribute licenses. Proceeds from spectrum license sales are presently attributed to general revenue in the U.S. Budget. In the 108th Congress, however, a precedent was established with the creation of a Spectrum Relocation Fund to hold proceeds from the auction of specified radio frequencies currently allocated to federal use; federal agencies vacating spectrum to be auctioned for commercial use will be compensated from the fund for costs of relocation. In the 109th Congress, the Deficit Reduction Act (P.L. 109-171) included provisions that will hold certain auction proceeds in a Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Fund. The fund mainly would assist the transition from analog televison broadcasting to digital broadcasting, and would contribute to programs for public safety. Over $7 billion would go toward deficit reduction. The funds are to come from the auction of spectrum currently used for analog television broadcasting, to be vacated by February 17, 2009. The auction is scheduled to begin on January 16, 2008. The FCC has issued the rules it will set for the upcoming auction of the old TV channels. Issues that have been raised in the discussion over how best to allocate this spectrum include the creation of national licenses with open access for wireless devices, the treatment of designated entities -- with references to NextWave, blind bidding, how much spectrum is needed for public safety communications, and proposals to provide spectrum for shared use between public safety and the private sector. In particular, proposals put forth by Cyren Call, Frontline, and Google, Inc. have sparked an ongoing public debate about the "highest and best use" for the spectrum currently designated for auction by the Deficit Reduction Act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]