DISQUS

Technology Liberation Front: Public safety doesn’t need more spectrum

  • Steve R. · 2 years ago
    Jerry: You wrote: "public safety does not need more spectrum, what it needs is reform that changes how the spectrum already allocated to it is used.". You may be entirely correct on this statement and I would agree that reform is necessary.

    My concern is that the arguments favoring spectrum "efficiency" raise significant concerns. I can basically agree with your statement that: "As we have seen, the spectrum cannot be traded and it can only be used for public safety communications. This policy in effect insulates public safety agencies from the true opportunity cost of spectrum." However, it neglects the fact that the spectrum is already in private ownership, held in trust for the American people. By implication, it would appear that you are advocating that commercial interests have a right to expropriate property should they believe it is under utilized. For example, should a developer who constructs apartments have a right to expropriate property containing single family homes because the property is not being efficiently utilized? I think not.

    The FCC is responsible for managing the radio spectrum. If spectrum is being underutilized, the FCC should, just as any corporation, maximize revenue by leasing that spectrum to commercial interests.
  • Jerry Brito · 2 years ago
    "Should a developer who constructs apartments have a right to expropriate property containing single family homes because the property is not being efficiently utilized?" No, but they should be able to offer to buy the property and the families should be able to sell. Right now public safety agencies can't sell their spectrum even if they wanted to. A commercial carrier couldn't buy their spectrum to make more efficient use of it even if they were willing to pay for it.

    'Spectrum is held in trust for the American people.' "The FCC is responsible for managing the radio spectrum." You're making positive statements. I'm making a normative argument. Go read Peter Huber's Law and Disorder in Cyberspace before you make that same tired point yet again.