Subject: [NEXTEL-1] 5 Billion Opener For Verizon

From: "marcel_rf1" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 08 Apr 2004 21:32:17 -0000

5 Billion Opener For Verizon
By Mark Rockwell

WASHINGTON -- Verizon Wireless is prepared to put up $5 billion to buy 
spectrum that Nextel Communications is vying for as part of its 
spectrum swap deal the FCC is reportedly preparing to approve.
In a letter sent today to John Muleta, FCC wireless telecommunications 
bureau chief, Verizon Wireless said its initial bid on an auction of 
10 MHz of PCS spectrum at 1.9 GHz would be $5 billion. In the letter, 
Molly Feldman, Verizon Wireless vice president of business 
development, said no solution "can or should include a grant of 
spectrum in an entirely different band to Nextel, or anyone else, to 
the exclusion of other parties..."
Verizon Wireless earlier had filed a petition to begin an auction of 
the 1.9 GHz spectrum and sought designation of the bands for a 
nationwide broadband PCS license.
The new Verizon Wireless offer comes as the FCC apparently closes on 
its final plan to address the contentious 800 MHz interference issue 
at its meeting next Thursday. Under that plan, the same spectrum could 
be sold to Nextel for around $2 billion.
Feldman said her letter staking out the company's opening bid was in 
response to the FCC staff's repeated requests for "how much Verizon 
Wireless would offer to pay in return for being granted 10 MHz of 
nationwide spectrum in the 1.9 GHz band that Nextel wants."
Verizon Wireless has fought tenaciously in the last several weeks to 
derail Nextel's plan. Its latest letter warns of possible legal 
consequences for awarding the spectrum to Nextel.
Verizon's plan would "yield far more cash to the U.S. treasury than 
the plan the commission is apparently considering. Among other flaws, 
that plan would apparently credit Nextel for the estimated costs of 
relocating public safety -- even though it will be several years 
before anyone can possibly know how much Nextel will actually have 
spent to relocate public safety. Arbitrarily selecting such an amount 
purchase price, before one dime has been spent, and then crediting 
that amount toward an arbitrary purchase price for 1.9 GHz spectrum 
makes absolutely no economic or legal sense," Feldman states in the 
letter.

------------------------ 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/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/61FxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

-- 
    "NEXTEL-1 IT'S NOT JUST NEXTEL"
  Note The New address 
Subscribe to Nextel-1: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL-1

  "NEXTEL2 FOR iDEN SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS"
Subscribe to Nextel2: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL2

  "WIRELESS FORUM HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP"
     The Complete Resource for Wireless Homeland Security.
Subscribe to WFHSG:  http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/WFHSG

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEXTEL-1/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     [email-masked]

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