The PSST was selected by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as the Public Safety Broadband Licensee (PSBL) for the 10 MHz of 700 MHz public safety nationwide broadband spectrum.
[4] In its August 2007 Docket 06-229 decision, the FCC voted to implement the 700 MHz Public/Private Partnership, an implementation of interoperable spectrum concepts in the 700 MHz band subject to a minimum bid of $1.4 billion in the band auction.
Conditions of the auction would have required the winning bidder to fund the build-out of a nationwide broadband interoperable communications system for public safety use in the PSST’s 10 MHz of spectrum.
The auction was not successful in attracting a bidder to meet the minimum bid threshold.
In addition, the winning bidder would have been required to allow public safety use to preempt commercial use on the D Block during emergencies.