According to FCC Commissioner Mignon L. Clyburn tens of millions of Americans are still unconnected at home and nearly 15 million Americans can’t get broadband because of lack of infrastructure. Only 50 percent of rural Americans, 35 percent of the elderly, 42 percent of people living with disabilities, 59 percent of African Americans, and 49 percent of Latinos have broadband service at home.
The FCC as manager of the nation’s commercial spectrum deals with spectrum policy. FCC, NTIA within the Department of Commerce, other federal agencies, and industry are working to repurpose 500 Megahertz (MHz) spectrum to wireless broadband use. According to both the FCC and NTIA, access to spectrum is the lifeblood for the growth of mobile healthcare so that people can be monitored and be treated wirelessly 24/7.
NTIA reports that their Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (CSMAC) is developing recommendations to transition as much 110 megahertz of spectrum in 1695-1710 MHz and 1755-1850 MHz from federal to commercial use.
In 2014, CSMAC is going to examine how to improve sharing, new forms of spectrum management, and how to pay for the costs for spectrum sharing when there are not auction revenues to cover government expenses.
The FCC has taken action to dedicate spectrum for Medical Body Area Networks (MBAN) to provide a last meter wireless link to eliminate the wires and cables that currently tether a patient to a monitor.
Experts think that by using MBANs, care would not only be improved, but overall healthcare costs could be reduced. MBAN technology, would be able to attract capital investment and spur business development as healthcare professionals and the wireless industry join forces to deploy MBANs.
Addressing broadband issues is vital when referring to public safety. FirstNet, an independent authority within NTIA is charged with establishing a nationwide wireless broadband network dedicated to public safety.
So far, FirstNet and their 41 member Public Safety Advisory Committee have met with 56 states and territories and visited several disaster sites. FirstNet has also issued 12 requests for information on subjects ranging from potential network deployment options, wireless devices, and mobile application platforms for public safety.
As part of the law creating FirstNet, Congress created a grant program administered by NTIA to help states and territories plan for the public safety broadband network. Though the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (LIGP), 54 states and territories were awarded $116 million in 2013.
The grants are to assist regional, state, local and tribal governments as they plan for a nationwide public safety broadband network. Grants will support planning, consultations, education and outreach activities as well as fund efforts to collect data on existing infrastructure and equipment.
It was recently announced that Information Management Resources Inc. (IMRI) was awarded a Blanket Purchase Agreement with a potential value of up to $67.2 million by the Department of Commerce to support FirstNet. IMRI a Veteran Owned Small Business will advise FirstNet on wireless public safety and on a wide range of technical, business, financial, strategic, and operational matters.
For more information, go to www.ntia.doc.gov.