Senator Has Radio Plan

Add presidential candidate and U.S. Senator John McCain to the list of persons and groups with a plan for nationwide, interoperable communications for public safety agencis. McCain said he will introduce legislation to create such network using 30 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band, set aside in a trust. “It is now time to think big and bold and solve the interoperability crisis once and for all,” McCain said in a press release. “If we do not act now, this valuable spectrum will be auctioned off and this opportunity will be lost forever.” McCain’s legislation matches existing proposals for such a network, including the Cyren Call project from Nextel co-founder Morgan O’Brien that the FCC turned down last year, saying only Congress could authorize use of the frequency band. Read McCain’s press release here.