Subject: [NEXTEL-1] The "Balanced Approach" Parties Say: $850 MILLION IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH, The funding obligation assumed by Nextel is illusory

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2003 16:21:59 -0400

August 7, 2003
Marlene Dortch, Secretary
Federal Communications Commission
445 Twelfth Street, S.W., Room TW A-325
Washington, DC   20554

Filed on Behalf of: ALLTEL Communications, AT&T Wireless, Cellular
Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA), Cinergy Corporation, Cingular
Wireless, City of Baltimore, Maryland, Consumers Energy Company, Duke Energy,
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), Southern LINC, United
States Cellular, United Telecom Council (UTC) and Verizon Wireless
Ex Parte Notice  WT Docket No. 02-55

Improving Public Safety Communications in the 800 MHz Band

To the Secretary:

The  Commission  has  undertaken  a  rulemaking  proceeding  to  resolve interference experienced by public safety and other private mobile licensees in the 806-824 / 851-869  MHz  (?800  MHz?)  band.   Among the many submissions in this proceeding is an elaborate and complex band realignment scheme that was proposed by Nextel and other  parties  (the  so-called  Consensus  Plan).   Comments  filed  with  the Commission have identified numerous problems with this Plan, including that (1) it would not resolve the interference problems experienced by 800 MHz licensees, (2)  it  would result  in substantial  burdens  and  costs  to  800 MHz users, (3) it would limit the technological evolution of systems operating in the 800 MHz band, and  (4)  it  would  result in  an unlawful  windfall  to  Nextel,  the  entity  that  is  responsible  for  the vast  majority  of interference in the 800 MHz band.
In  addition  to  the  issues  identified  above,  the  above-listed  parties take  this opportunity to emphasize a very simple but fundamental principle that must guide the Commission as it considers the Consensus Plan.  The FCC should not even consider the Plan?s  proposed  realignment  of  the  800  MHz  band  until  the  Commission has  been assured  the myriad of questions regarding the funding mechanism and amount proposed to fund rebanding by Nextel have been answered.

The Plan proposed by  Nextel  provides no such assurance.    The  Plan  itself  is vague on details,  but  one  fact  is  clear:    there  is  virtually  no  upfront funding  and  no  workable, enforceable mechanism to ensure that funding will ever be there.
The attached document synthesizes the many concerns of parties already  filed
with  the  Commission  on  this  issue,  and  demonstrates  that  the  commitment
by Nextel Communications Inc. to fund 800 MHz relocation is  an  $850  Million  Mirage.
Specifically, the record demonstrates:

More:

http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6514382902 

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for Your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark
Printer at Myinks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511
http://us.click.yahoo.com/l.m7sD/LIdGAA/qnsNAA/61FxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/