Washington—Four leading public safety organizations want a guarantee that an Obama administration delay of the Feb. 17 digital television transition will not postpone their access to spectrum now occupied by analog TV stations.
First responders are to receive 24 MHz of spectrum so they can communicate on the same frequencies nationally, but they can't use those airwaves until analog TV stations have cleared out.
"We ask that any legislation implementing a delay in the DTV transition include exemptions for channels that have been reallocated, approved, or are pending approval for public safety communications," the groups said in a Jan. 9 letter to President-elect Obama.
Signing the letter were Chris Fischer, president of Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO); Chief Russell Laine, president of International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); Chief Larry Grorud, president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC); and Ralph Haller, chairman of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC).
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