T-Mobile Submits White Paper on D-Block Issue

In the on-going debate over whether to re-auction the D-Block of 700 MHz spectrum intended to create a nationwide broadband network for public safety, T-Mobile has taken a stand. The company has submitted a 30-page white paper to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authored by a university professor who was Motorola’s former chief technology officer. According to the paper by Prof. Dennis Roberson, “incentive partnerships with competitive commercial carriers in the 700 MHz D block would enable public safety to build broadband networks with sufficient capacity without harmful interference.” He also concludes that public safety agencies can augment their radio channels with priority access to the D Block and other commercial LTE networks. Interference with adjacent bands can be “readily avoided,” Roberson writes, and sector-cell networks will provide enough day-to-day capacity for public safety agencies using low-site, high cell-density configurations. Download (pdf) the white paper here.