Reports from the Wireless Communications Association International's annual conference here in Washington, DC, are that public safety officials and industry representatives are urging the FCC to "rechannelize" public safety frequencies in the 700 MHz band.

Doing so could mean the 700 MHz band- where many public safety radio communications systems currently operate, and which has characteristics ideal for public safety use- could be adjusted to accommodate new broadband applications for first responders and facilitate interoperable communications for public safety.

In general, the 700 MHz band is well-suited for use by emergency responders because of its propagation characteristics. Radio signals originating in the 700 MHz band are strong enough to penetrate barriers such as the walls of buildings - a critically important attribute for first responders given the environments they work in.

A broadband network in the 700 MHz band could prove to be truly invaluable for emergency response. In a December 2005 report to Congress (posted here on the FRC website), the FCC said it envisions a national broadband network capable of providing rapid-warning messages, real-time text-messaging and e-mail personnel status location, high-resolution digital images and "smart radios" that are capable of operating on multiple frequencies and multiple formats.

According to MRT Magazine, "Real-time video transmissions can provide valuable information about an incident, and emergency medical units can use the network to get preliminary assessments from remote doctors while on the scene and en route to a hospital." The article further details how a demonstration of broadband services "included a remote expert helping a bomb squad diffuse a fake explosive device while watching a video monitor depicting the action."