Cyren Call, M2Z Prepared to Peacefully Coexist if Necessary
ORLANDO -- Cyren Call founder Morgan O'Brien and M2Z CEO John Muleta agreed Wed. that their proposals to build wireless broadband networks don’t cancel each other out, especially since they would operate in different spectrum. But the 2 conceded they both face time pressures to get their plans up and running. O'Brien, co-founder of Nextel and Muleta, a former FCC Wireless Bureau chief, made a rare joint appearance at the Assn. of Public Safety Communications Officials annual meeting.
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Cyren Call plans to launch a public safety broadband network on 30 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum that would be taken from the 60 MHz the FCC would otherwise auction in 2009 following the DTV transition. M2Z, meanwhile, is asking policymakers for a special 20 MHz allotment of spectrum, located at 2155 MHz to 2175 MHz, to offer free wireless broadband based on a broadcast TV model.
O'Brien said he viewed M2Z as a competitor, but only because the company also demands attention from policymakers. He noted that the philosophy underlying the proposals and the spectrum is significantly different. “It’s like a family with many children -- everybody is attempting to get their share of the attention,” he said: “I only think it’s a competitor in the sense that anything that is asking for attention and tries to break through the clamor while everything else is trying to get attention in the space that the FCC and Congress occupies are competitors.”
Muleta said having 2 proposals could even help M2Z since the issue of wireless broadband deployment is now getting significant attention. “There’s no competition in terms of service. There’s no competition, I think, even in attention,” he said. “We're fundamentally focused on trying to solve the broadband problem for the American country as a whole, it’s not about public safety.”
O'Brien, who has been courting public safety groups since the inception of Cyren Call, told APCO attendees he needed their help to win approval for the proposal in Congress. The company hopes to win the formal endorsement of its plan by the APCO Board (CD Aug 9 p4). “There is a once in a lifetime opportunity for obtaining this spectrum,” O'Brien said. “The leadership of public safety can come together and marshal the political will. Go to Congress. Go to the FCC. There isn’t any voice that can be louder and more effective in this space than public safety.”
O'Brien warned that time is tight, especially since without action the FCC will auction the 30 MHz in 2009. “I fear that unless we take some dramatic action now that in 2010 in sessions like this we'll be talking about how public safety missed an opportunity to integrate broadband deeply into its operations and is now doomed to constantly playing catch up,” he said.
Muleta said M2Z’s plan would also benefit public safety, though it doesn’t specifically target the sector. “We're providing public safety the same level of connection that we provide consumers for free. It’s a free model. The idea would be that the public safety folks, every officer, if they choose to, can get connected into this network.” Unlike other users, public safety won’t be subject to filtering: “You have a direction connection to your system. because we know who you are. You're public safety officers. We're not worried about what sort of material you access.
O'Brien told reporters the FCC will look more closely at the plan only after the agency gets more pressure from Congress. “Of course there’s a lot of distraction now [on the Hill] as they get ready for the elections but we need to make sure that there’s an understanding of the problem, an understanding that the current 24 MHz doesn’t address the problem, and that our solution is not simply throw more spectrum at this,” he said: “There is time to consider it. We can do this without having a budget shortfall.” Public safety’s support is critical, he said: “That’s kind of the next step. We need to make sure they hear from public safety.”
“The Commission is going to do what they're going to do,” Muleta said. “We've got a solid proposal in front of them and they're truly considering it.” Muleta said the FCC can act on its own to approve the proposal. “The message that we've gotten [from Congress] is that the Commission is empowered to actually act on this.” Muleta said his message to policymakers has been: “Look, if you don’t like my idea tell me a better idea.”
Muleta said the biggest pressure for his company is keeping intact the group of Silicon Valley-based venture capitalist backers if the Commission moves too slowly. “People have limited attention in the valley,” he said: “Our backers are not people who are going to sit around and say I can afford to wait it out, just wait for the spectrum 10 years from now to show up.”