S 911 Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act

Sponsored by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act (S 911) would help build a nationwide communications network for first responders.

The bill allows broadcasters and other spectrum licensees to voluntarily remit back unused portions of the airwaves. The freed up spectrum would be re-auctioned for commercial wireless broadband use in exchange for a portion of the proceeds through “incentive auctions.” The costs to build the public safety network will be offset by the proceeds of incentive auctions, and the surplus revenue will go toward deficit reduction.

Key provisions include:

• Establish a framework for the deployment of a nationwide, interoperable, wireless broadband network for public safety.
• Allocate 10 megahertz of spectrum, known as the “D-block,” to public safety.
• Direct the FCC to establish standards that allow public safety officials, when not using the network, to lease capacity on a secondary, but preemptible basis to non-public safety entities.
• Provide the FCC with incentive auction authority, which allows existing spectrum licensees to voluntarily relinquish their airwaves in exchange for a portion of the proceeds of the commercial auction of their spectrum. This provides new incentives for efficient use of spectrum. In addition, the funds from these incentive auctions, in conjunction with funds from the auction of other specified spectrum bands, and funds earned from leasing the public safety network on a secondary basis, will be used to fund the construction and maintenance of the nationwide, interoperable, wireless broadband public safety network.
• Direct the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to conduct cutting edge research into transformative wireless technologies.
• Surplus revenue from spectrum auctions, estimated to be more than $10 billion, will be directed to the U.S. Treasury for deficit reduction.