700 MHz Statement of Requirements for Public Safety (SoR)

The Broadband Working Group of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) has compiled the attached document to assist with the development of a nationwide interoperable broadband network for public safety agencies. This work was undertaken following the decision of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a Public Safety Broadband Licensee (PSBL), and reflects the outcome of a first opportunity to solicit and develop public safety broadband requirements. The PSBL will be responsible for administering the 700 MHz public safety broadband segment. It will join with the D Block licensee to forge a public-private partnership to deploy and maintain the network, initially by negotiating a Network Sharing Agreement that must ultimately be approved by the FCC. The document was prepared for the many interests involved: the yet to be named PSBL, prospective D Block auction bidders, public safety agencies, equipment and infrastructure manufacturers and service providers, and the FCC. The law places ultimate responsibility with the FCC for how this spectrum is used. It is intended to communicate the network functions and characteristics the public safety community finds necessary for a network that public safety agencies will participate in and rely upon.

The effort commenced with the underlying premise that the innovation accompanying modern communications must embrace the standards associated with around the clock operations and coverage wherever a critical incident, large or small, is found. Bringing about advanced services and a nationwide interoperable network requires understanding that the citizen confronting an emergency relies on first responders and their communications capability no matter what the circumstance. Success is measured in the speed and quality of response. At stake is not only agency participation, but the public’s trust in their emergency services.

The information is drawn from the experience of individuals responsible for public safety communications across varied agencies, geographies, and demographics. It reflects the experience associated with single incidents to large catastrophic events. Designing, deploying, and maintaining systems that continue to function throughout an emergency is the foundation of their responsibilities.

By enumerating core requirements, the Working Group’s effort has been directed toward delineating what public safety has conveyed to be essential for their users. The work recognizes the reality that implementation of features, functions, and performance standards will be neither immediate nor without challenge. The work recognizes the involvement of the many interests that must forge a cooperative alliance for each to succeed, such as the Network Sharing Agreement to be negotiated between the PSBL and D Block auction winner.

The Working Group sought and obtained meaningful participation from a range of public safety agencies, potential D Block auction bidders, infrastructure and equipment manufacturers and service providers, and others with experience in public safety communications. It held multiple meetings for commercial and public safety input, including a two-day forum in Colorado (attendee list attached) and two days of web meetings for public safety’s final review of the draft. It invited review and comment of a draft document from over 256,000 public safety users and considered all of the over 400 comments submitted. To promote a document capable of moving a public safety broadband network used by the range of agencies closer to reality, the Working Group sought to bring clarity and comprehension to the many issues.