Public Safety Priority Access to Shared Commercial Networks

This technical study adds a key element to the public debate by addressing the issue of how a commercial broadband wireless network, operating on a shared basis with a dedicated public safety network in the 700 MHz frequency band, can meet public safety priority access requirements and provide transparent overflow capacity and enhanced geographic coverage when needed. The study refutes the criticisms that commercial networks cannot guarantee initial access to public safety users under congested conditions; that they cannot provide a guaranteed level of capacity to public safety; and that commercial network priority access cannot be provided automatically without explicit public safety user action.