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Dear Chairman Genachowski:
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WASHINGTON, DC 20510-2102
September 25, 2009
The Honorable Julius Genachowski
Chairman
Office ofthe Commissioners
Federal Communications Commission
445 - 12th Street, SW, Room 8B201
Washington, DC 20554
I write in strong support ofthe amended request for waiver pending before the Federal Communications
Commission as submitted on behalfofthe City ofBoston, Massachusetts (PS Docket No. 06-229). To best
serve the public interest, I believe the first responders ofBoston should be granted access to available spectrum
in the 700 MHz band that has been reserved for a nationwide public safety interoperable broadband network. I
believe this would help meet the urgent needs ofthe Boston Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Service
workers.
JOHN KERRY
MASSACHUSETTS
It has been eleven years since Congress directed the D Block spectrum in the Upper 700 MHz Band to be
allocated to public safety communications. Today, since full-power television stations have completed the
transition from analog to digital, the airwaves have been cleared for use by first responders. However, the FCC
was unable to secure a national public/private partnership for 0 Block during Auction 73 in 2008, and, although
you have rightfully recognized this issue as a top priority for the FCC, I understand that it will likely be a
significant period oftime before a national plan for this spectrum is completed. Mayor Menino, in coordination
with public safety officials and neighboring communities, has put forward an important proposal for a regional
network that would utilize this bandwidth in the interim until a national plan is established. I believe it is
worthy ofyour support.
The proposed network would have the capability and intention to adapt to the standards and requirements ofa
national, interoperable public safety network upon the institution ofsuch a system, and would provide greater
security to the people ofthe Metro-Boston Homeland Security Region. The Boston plan would build out a
network that conforms to the technical specifications proposed in the Third Further Notice ofProposed
Rulemaking by the FCC regarding D Block usage.
In the absence ofany national plan or access to spectrum in the 700 MHz band, the City ofBoston is currently
designing a local public safety wireless network in the less-efficient 4.9 GHz band to support first responders.
Not only would this project undermine the ultimate goal ofan interoperable national network in the D Block
spectrum, but the 4.9 GHz plan would also be more costly with reduced propagation. In the interest ofpublic
safety and to hasten the adoption ofa state ofthe art, interoperable communications network, I urge you to
consider the amended request for waiver submitted by Mayor Menino.
Thank you for your consideration ofthis request. Please contact Nick Christiansen ofmy staffat 202-224-2742
with any questions or concerns.
PAINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER