President Obama's $474 billion jobs bill would set aside the 700Mhz D Block spectrum for a dedicated broadband public safety network and provide funding to build and operate it.

The American Jobs Act of 2011, which was submitted to Congress on Tuesday, includes the proposal, which would also require a public-safety wireless licensee to hold the spectrum. The Public Safety Broadband Corp. — a nonprofit, nongovernmental agency that would include a board of directors comprised of federal and non-federal members — would promote construction of the network, reports Mission Critical Magazine.

The feds would provide up to $50 million up front to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to transfer to the corporation for expenses before proceeds from spectrum auctions authorized in this bill would be realized. The corporation would charge user fees to public safety agencies or commercial users, who could gain access on a secondary basis.

Source: Mission Critical Magazine .

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