STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER MICHAEL J. COPPS
Re:  Implementing a Nationwide, Broadband, Interoperable Public Safety Network in the 700 
MHz Band; Development of Operational, Technical and Spectrum Requirements for 
Meeting Federal, State and Local Public Safety Communications Requirements through 
the Year 2010, Ninth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, (PS Docket No. 06-229, WT 
Docket No. 96-86).
As I have said many times, the safety of the people must always be the first and foremost 
responsibility of government.  We are now over five years out from the tragedy of 9/11 and over 
a year since Hurricane Katrina, and we know this:  America is not as ready as it could be and 
should be for the next attack or natural disaster, whenever that awful day should come. And that 
sad truth is not because there are any real disagreements about the policy objectives here with 
respect to our nation’s heroic first responders.  Everyone understands the need to provide the 
nation’s first responders with interoperable equipment when they charge into a burning building 
or perform the thousands of other dangerous tasks each year that keep us safe.  Everyone 
understands the importance of making sure that these dedicated public servants have the 
resources and funding they need to keep us – and themselves – out of harm’s way.  And everyone 
understands that public safety providers must be able to avail themselves of all the extraordinary 
advances that high-tech companies and commercial providers have made in network architecture 
and advanced hardware.  
Today’s NPRM attempts to address these objectives by proposing an inventive public 
safety model – the creation of a nationwide, interoperable broadband public safety 
communications network in the 700 MHz band.  Specifically, the NPRM seeks comment on 
whether a national licensee can create such a network through a public-private arrangement, 
whereby commercial providers would assist public safety agencies in implementing this network.  
As I have stated before, government-commercial sharing of public safety spectrum raises a host 
of complex technical and policy questions – the margin for error is uniquely low, and we must be 
exceptionally confident that there are no unintended consequences flowing from any actions we 
approve.  At the same time, given the long-standing need for reform in this area, we simply 
cannot afford to ignore innovative ideas that could potentially revolutionize existing public safety 
spectrum management.  I therefore applaud the Chairman’s initiative in seeking comment on this 
proposal.  Thanks also to the staff of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau for 
preparing and presenting this thoughtful NPRM.  I look forward to reading comments from 
interested and knowledgeable stakeholders, who can help this agency sort through the important 
and technically complex questions raised by today’s item.