Public safety community unconvinced by new FCC report

The public safety community remains unconvinced by a report issued this week from the Federal Communications Commission that aims to justify the FCC's plan involving a nationwide public safety network.

"It's flawed in many aspects," said Harlan McEwen, chairman of the Public Safety Spectrum Trust, the license holder for the 10 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band that was granted to the public safety community years ago. McEwen said he was still reviewing the report issued yesterday and declined to provide details but added, "It makes a number of false assumptions." Richard Mirgon, president of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials was more blunt. "I've read fiction that has more substance to it than the report does," he said. The public safety community has argued that 10 MHz of spectrum is not enough for its needs and wants the FCC to give it an additional 10 MHz of spectrum in the adjacent D-block.