Thursday, April 14, 2011

Interoperability: Smaller Operators Push for Equipment Interoperability

Subscribers of commercial wireless providers are now legally entitled to the ability to roam on other carriers' networks, thanks to last week's FCC ruling.  A ruling on the issue of 700 MHz equipment interoperability has yet to be made, however. 

It has been 18 months since Tier 2 and Tier 3 operators filed a petition requesting the FCC mandate that all new 700 MHz equipment have the ability to use all four bands of the said spectrum block.  Their complaint was that AT&T and Verizon are effectually blocking competitors by contracting requested equipment that is limited only to the bands in which they operate.  Because these wireless giants have so much influence over vendors, this could be bad news for operators in all the other bands of the 700 MHz block, including Public Safety operators.  One of the goals of inteorperability is greater competition and more vendor options for agencies, which requires vendors to manufacture a variety of equipment that will be operable in the D-block spectrum, soon to be allocated to Public Safety. 

Unlike past auctions, interoperability was not mandated in the 700 MHz auction, which is why the interests of the two massive top bidders will soon dominate the equipment industry.  The argument from AT&T and Verizon is that the market should dictate interoperability, with which the smaller operators- and certainly Public Safety operators- take issue.  There have also been claims that a ruling mandating interoperable equipment would "stifle technological innovation."  Many in the wireless industry disagree, since interoperable equipment may be more challenging, but is intrinsically more innovative, and will push wireless technology in a direction that has become necessary in our current technological and political climate. 

Public Safety's ability to interoperate with Verizon's LTE network is a step in the right direction, but there's no guarantee the two networks will be able to cooperate without interoperable equipment.  Apart from their push for interoperability, smaller operators could be important partners with Public Safety agencies as roaming providers.  Utilizing just Verizon's network will mean higher charges, but diversifying roaming providers will offer more competitive prices as well as access to broadband in rural areas. 

The Urgent Communications article outlines more reasons "why Public Safety should side with smaller operators" on the issue.

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