Quantifying the Costs of a Nationwide Broadband Public Safety Wireless Network

The problems facing the public safety wireless communication systems in the US could be significantly reduced or eliminated through the deployment of a single nationwide network that serves all public safety personnel. Two major efforts towards such a nationwide network are the Integrated Wireless Network (IWN), a program only for federal emergency responders, and an effort by the FCC to create a public-private partnership in the 700MHz band that serves state and local emergency responders; the future of both projects is uncertain due in part to concerns surrounding cost.