NEW YORK, NY December 18, 2007 —Governor Spitzer's top homeland security aide says the state will cancel a contract for a first responders' radio network, and will not have to pay its startup costs, if the system fails field tests for a second time next spring.

REPORTER: Michael Balboni, deputy secretary for public safety, says the state's homeland security office is thinking of hiring an independent company to conduct its own tests on the network, being built by MA Com.

BALBONI: This is a pay as you go contract, that is in April the system will be presented to the state for purchase and that's when it will be tested and if it doesn't work they don't get paid.

REPORTER: The statewide radio network linking police, fire and emergency agencies, was supposed to be in place last June in the Buffalo area. After its rollout, Buffalo opted out of the system, saying it didn't work in half the city. MA Com says it's confident it will iron out the kinks by next spring.