Public Safety Spectrum Trust
Encyclopedia
The Public Safety Spectrum Trust Corporation (PSST) is a non-profit organization which represents the radio spectrum needs of police, fire and ambulance agencies in the United States.
The PSST was selected by the Federal Communications Commission
as the Public Safety Broadband Licensee (PSBL) for the 10 MHz of 700 MHz public safety
nationwide broadband spectrum
.
In 2006, FCC proposed in Docket 06-229 that the could be used for sharing public safety spectrum with commercial users in former UHF-TV spectrum after the transition to digital television
. In its August 2007 Docket 06-229 decision, FCC voted to implement the 700 MHz Public/Private Partnership, an implementation of interoperable spectrum concepts in the 700 MHz band subject to a minimum bid of $1.4 billion in the band auction. It later designated the Public Safety Spectrum Trust to represent public safety interests in this band and negotiate with the auction winner for a mutual agreement on band use and public and private access to it.
The block which was auctioned is commonly referred to as the D Block. Conditions of the auction would have required the winning bidder to fund the build out of a nationwide broadband interoperable communications system for public safety use in the PSST’s 10 MHz of spectrum. The auction was not successful in attracting a bidder to meet the minimum bid threshold. In addition the winning bidder would have been required to allow Public Safety to pre-empt commercial use on the D Block during emergencies.
PAST MEMBERS
The PSST was selected by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
as the Public Safety Broadband Licensee (PSBL) for the 10 MHz of 700 MHz public safety
Public Safety
Public safety involves the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety of the general public from significant danger, injury/harm, or damage, such as crimes or disasters .-See also:* By nation...
nationwide broadband spectrum
Spectrum
A spectrum is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary infinitely within a continuum. The word saw its first scientific use within the field of optics to describe the rainbow of colors in visible light when separated using a prism; it has since been applied by...
.
In 2006, FCC proposed in Docket 06-229 that the could be used for sharing public safety spectrum with commercial users in former UHF-TV spectrum after the transition to digital television
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
. In its August 2007 Docket 06-229 decision, FCC voted to implement the 700 MHz Public/Private Partnership, an implementation of interoperable spectrum concepts in the 700 MHz band subject to a minimum bid of $1.4 billion in the band auction. It later designated the Public Safety Spectrum Trust to represent public safety interests in this band and negotiate with the auction winner for a mutual agreement on band use and public and private access to it.
The block which was auctioned is commonly referred to as the D Block. Conditions of the auction would have required the winning bidder to fund the build out of a nationwide broadband interoperable communications system for public safety use in the PSST’s 10 MHz of spectrum. The auction was not successful in attracting a bidder to meet the minimum bid threshold. In addition the winning bidder would have been required to allow Public Safety to pre-empt commercial use on the D Block during emergencies.
PSST Member Organizations
The board of directors of the PSST is made up of representatives of the following organizations:- American Association of State Highway and Transportation OfficialsAmerican Association of State Highway and Transportation OfficialsAASHTO, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols and guidelines which are used in highway design and construction throughout the United States...
(AASHTO) - American Hospital AssociationAmerican Hospital AssociationThe American Hospital Association is an organization that promotes the quality provision of health care by hospitals and health care networks through such efforts as promoting effective public policy and providing information related to health care and health administration to health care...
(AHA) - Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-InternationalAssociation of Public-Safety Communications Officials-InternationalThe Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International was founded in 1935 and is the world's largest organization dedicated to public safety telecommunications.APCO has developed several standards that bear its name...
(APCO) - Forestry Conservation Communications Association (FCCA)
- International Association of Chiefs of PoliceInternational Association of Chiefs of PoliceThe International Association of Chiefs of Police was founded in Chicago in 1893 as the National Chiefs of Police Union. The primary goal of this organization was to apprehend and return criminals who had fled the agency jurisdictions in which they were wanted...
(IACP) - International Association of Fire ChiefsInternational Association of Fire ChiefsThe International Association of Fire Chiefs is a network of more than 12,000 chief fire and emergency officers. The Association was established in 1873. The Executive Director is Mark W. Light. The Deputy Executive Director is Mary Beth Michos...
(IAFC) - International City/County Management AssociationInternational City/County Management AssociationICMA is an association representing professionals in local government management. It is based in Washington, D.C., USA....
(ICMA) - International Municipal Signal Association (IMSA)
- National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials (NASEMSO)
- National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators (NASNA)
- National Emergency Management Association (NEMA)
- National Emergency Number AssociationNational Emergency Number AssociationThe National Emergency Number Association is an organization whose mission it is to foster the technological advancement, availability, and implementation of a universal emergency telephone number system in the United States. In carrying out its mission, NENA promotes research, planning, training...
(NENA) - National Fraternal Order of Police (NFOP)
- National Governors AssociationNational Governors AssociationThe National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
(NGA) - National Sheriffs' AssociationNational Sheriffs' AssociationThe National Sheriffs' Association is a U.S. trade association dedicated to raising the level of professionalism among U.S. sheriffs, their deputies and others in the fields of criminal justice and public safety. Since its founding in 1940, NSA has been the one voice of the nation's sheriffs in...
(NSA)
PSST Executives
- Harlin McEwen (Chairman), IACP
- Kevin McGinnis (Vice-Chairman), NASEMSO
- Alan Caldwell (Secretary-Treasurer), IAFC
PSST Board of Directors
CURRENT MEMBERS- William Brownlow, AASHTO
- John T. Collins, AHA
- Chris Fischer, APCO
- Paul Leary, FCCA
- Harlin McEwen (Chairman), IACP
- Alan Caldwell (Secretary-Treasurer), IAFC
- Mark Ryckman, ICMA
- Douglas Aiken, IMSA
- Kevin McGinnis (Vice-Chairman), NASEMSO
- Richard Taylor, NASNA
- Michael Cline, NEMA
- Rick Galway, NENA
- David Hiller, NFOP
- Ray Lehr, NGA
- Paul Fitzgerald, NSA
PAST MEMBERS
- Jason Barbour, NENA
- John Contestabile, NGA
- Craig Jorgenson, APCO