Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Nextel declines Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Job- Nextel says "Too Costly"

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2003 13:34:35 -0400

Massachusetts Transit Aims to Get Cell Users a Signal in
Subway Tunnels

October 2, 2003 3:26am
Knight-Ridder / Tribune Business News

Oct. 2--The MBTA is moving to get back on track with its plan to make it possible
for cellphone users to get a signal in the
subway tunnels -- possibly by the end of next year.

This week, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority again will seek
proposals for installing the gear that would let riders
with wireless devices send and receive voice messages, phone-to-phone text
messages, and e-mail, as well as to have access to
the Internet.

In October, after the MBTA's first "request for proposals" was issued, the
wireless carriers balked at the high payments the T
was seeking for access to the underground network.

MBTA officials have since reworked their plans, including offering the use of
fiber-optic cable the T has installed in subway
tunnels, to help reduce costs.

Now, the MBTA is seeking proposals that would let riders use wireless devices in
the four downtown Boston transfer stations --
Downtown Crossing, Government Center, Park Street, and State -- and in the
approximately 1.4 miles of tunnels that connect
those stations.

Companies bidding on the work would also be given the option of including the
Orange Line North Station platforms, the Red
Line South Station platforms, and the Orange Line and commuter rail facilities at
Back Bay station, and then expanding service
later to all 19.5 miles of MBTA tunnels in Boston and Cambridge.

Officials at the MBTA and its real estate management consultants, Transit Realty
Associates, envision awarding a contract to one company or consortium that would
install the wireless gear, then make it available for use by the six carriers
serving the market:

AT&T Wireless, Cingular, Nextel Communications, Sprint PCS, T-Mobile, and Verizon
Wireless.

They hope to sign a 10-year-plus contract by December, and have service available
by December 2004.

Last year, Texas-based Andrew Corp., which had won a contract to serve as the lead
"neutral host" network provider,
abandoned the $15 million project after the carriers balked at paying the high
rents the T was seeking -- particularly given the
uncertain market for wireless service in the loud, crowded subway environment.

"We've heard what the industry wants, and we've spent a great deal of time and
effort trying to make this successful," said Paul
Trane, a principal of Telecommunications Insight Group in Somerville, which has
advised the T and Transit Realty.

Besides offering the use of existing fiber-optic lines, which would defray a
potentially huge cost of setting up a wireless network,
the T has committed itself to negotiating a cap on the costs the winning bidder
would face for hiring T employees to work as
flagmen and safety aides. Construction would take place when subway service shuts
down, from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.

Trane said he is optimistic that, compared to a year or two ago, carriers may see
underground service as a better business
proposition.

That's because of the booming use of wireless data services for e-mail, short
phone-to-phone messages, and Internet access.
Many riders might find those services easier to use than voice calling -- and less
annoying to fellow passengers -- in a loud train
or station.

Over the last year, T-Mobile has begun adding its own service at a handful of
underground T stations, including State.

A June survey by Opinion Dynamics Corp., of Cambridge, suggested that many riders
would welcome service in the tunnels.
Polling 314 riders who own cellphones, the firm found that 73 percent would be
"very or somewhat likely" to use a wireless
phone in the subway tunnels. More than one-third said they would be very or
somewhat likely to switch carriers if their current
carrier did not offer underground service.

Separate studies indicate that more than 60 percent of Massachusetts residents own
a cellphone. The Opinion Dynamics survey
did not establish whether a similar percentage of MBTA riders own one.

Wireless companies said they continue to hope to reach a deal with the T, but
stressed that they need to evaluate the economics.

Marty Nee, a spokesman for AT&T Wireless, the third-largest carrier in Boston,
after Verizon and Cingular, said: "We
understand the MBTA has made strong efforts to make it more attractive to the
carriers, and we're going to take another hard
look at it. It is a priority of ours, and hopefully it will work from a business
standpoint."

A Nextel Communications spokesman, John E. Redman, said: "The original bid request
was too costly and for us would not have been a wise business decision. We have an
obligation to both our shareholders and subscribers to spend our capital dollars
wisely and keep our costs down. We will certainly review any new bids, and
assuming the terms are different, we'll decide whether it would make sense for us
to pursue."

Redman added, however, that a major priority for Nextel is adding coverage in the
Big Dig tunnels, the new underground
stretches of the Central Artery and the Massachusetts Turnpike-Ted Williams Tunnel
connector. The Turnpike Authority is
continuing to negotiate terms with wireless carriers for that project.

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From: Jack Daniel <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2003 11:38:43 -0700

A Nextel Communications spokesman, John E. Redman, said: "The original
bid request was too costly and for us would not have been a wise
business decision. We have an obligation to both our shareholders and
subscribers to spend our capital dollars wisely and keep our costs
down."

I'm sure first responders, or even support services, aren't depending on
Nextel coverage in these tunnels.

But I may be wrong.....
Jack Daniel
=======================================

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---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2003 15:19:39 -0400

Jack,

Given that most of nextel's advertising is targeted directly at Public Safety I bet First
Responders are under the mistaken impression Nextel service will work in tunnels of MBTA.

The huge 1 page Ads give First Responders the false sense of security that Nextel is a true
Public Safety device. Nextel does not even meet APCO 16 standards.

Jack Daniel wrote:

> > bid request

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From: Don Root <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2003 12:22:17 -0700

> Nextel coverage in these tunnels.

I have to wonder how the "NEXTEL: DONE." TV spot for the car load of 
telecommunications executives broken down in the tunnel would story 
board...

"It's how business gets done."

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2003 15:25:31 -0400

They would hold hands and use "Moto Talk"

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From: Jack Daniel <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2003 13:44:05 -0700

No problem in the tunnels; they would use talk-around and not need a
cell site. Talk-around would work for all the new ads that show groups
using ptt to talk across the table to each other.

When you can use ptt to talk to someone within shouting range, that's a
great technological advancement.

The fact that you can't connect to the PSTN is just one of those small
details you have to accept when embracing new technology. 

It's not important that the thong in your hand is no longer works as a
cellphone as long as it has a high speed data port, messaging, takes
photos and a trendy ring tone. 

But I may be wrong.........
Jack Daniel
====================================

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From: "Bill Smith" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2003 15:14:40 -0400

Boston Fire department maintains a bunch of VHF radios on one of their old
channels, 153.89 MHz for tunnel emergencies. The MBTA is upgrading from a
470 MHz system to an 800 EDACS and might be adding PD/FD/EMS coverage on the
tunnel antenna system, but it is doubtful at this time. I was just talking
to a city Paramedic about this very topic and he says the MBTA was unhappy
that less than a year after they built out the VHF system for the FD, that
the FD went up to UHF and "the T" refused to spend the money to extend UHF
into the tunnels.

Boston FD is 483, PD is 460 and EMS is 462/453 MHz. The city also has a
municipal 800 trunk system for admin functions.

The "Big Dig" is a different story. They had lots of Federal dollars so they
built a huge system. The State Police has a separate zone on the Smartnet
system for the Big Dig tunnels. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jack Daniel [mailto:[email-masked]] 
Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2003 14:39
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: [NEXTEL-1] Nextel declines Massachusetts Bay Transportation
Authority Job- Nextel says "Too Costly"

---

From: Jack Daniel <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2003 15:32:26 -0700

I know. I'm a supplier to all those systems and worked with the
paramedic group earlier this year. Stand by for a major subway comm
system design upgrade. 

No coverage for cellular or Nextel involved, juat REAL public safety
systems.
==============================================

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From: "Bill Smith" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2003 20:27:48 -0400

Can you slide a GMRS freq into the mix so my friends and I can have complete
citywide coverage??? 462/467.700 would be great:-)