Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Powell tells Congress it will cost billions to solve 800 MHz interference

From: Marcelrf <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 01 Apr 2004 15:42:38 -0500

Powell tells Congress it will cost billions to solve 800 MHz
interference

by HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER
April 01, 2004 1:27 PM EST

WASHINGTON—It will cost billions of dollars to solve the public-
safety interference problem in the 800 MHz band, the FCC Chairman 
told Congress Wednesday  Powell appeared before the House Appropriations 
commerce, state, justice and the judiciary subcommittee to defend the
Federal 
Communications Commission's $293 million budget request for fiscal 
year 2005. 

The 800 MHz band issue was raised by Chairman Frank Wolf (R-Va.) but 
Wolf confused it with the public-safety interoperability issue, 
causing Powell to try and explain the similarities and differences 
between the 800 MHz public-safety interference problem and the 
inability of public-safety agencies to talk with each other during 
periods of crisis. 

While Powell said the FCC is in the "final innings" of developing 
rules to solve the 800 MHz problem; the interoperability problem is 
more complex and will take more time. Powell also said it would 
probably take congressional action, noting later that some of the 
spectrum slated to be used for interoperability is still occupied by 
TV broadcasters. 

Meanwhile posturing on the 800 MHz issue continues. 

Rep. Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.) Tuesday said he supports rebanding the 
800 MHz spectrum but does not support the Consensus Plan because the 
$850 million in funding proposed by Nextel Communications Inc. may 
not be sufficient. 

"I remain convinced that the most effective solution to this problem 
is to implement the rebanding provisions of the Consensus Plan," said 
Fossella. "I cannot support a plan that gives false hope to public 
safety but that very likely could leave our nation's first responders 
without the resources to fully transition and/or utilize the rebanded 
800 MHz spectrum. I believe other more viable and appropriate options 
exist and urge the FCC to explore selling or auctioning the new 
bandwidth on the 1.9 GHz band at market value. I believe it is 
critical that the FCC adopt a plan that rebands the 800 MHz spectrum 
and also guarantees the level and certainty of funding for public 
safety to fully and completely transition to the band." 

Fossella and Powell have been exchanging letters regarding the 
upcoming rules by the FCC. Fossella's support of rebanding but not of 
the Consensus Plan shows how the lines of who supports what seem to 
be fracturing. Recently, two law-enforcement agencies sent letters to 
President George W. Bush complaining that they were not involved in 
the development of the Consensus Plan, and they do not believe the 
relocation funding Nextel has proposed is adequate. 

The FCC has been struggling to find the best solution and reportedly 
the staff's recommendation more closely tracks with the Consensus 
Plan developed by some public-safety advocacy groups, private-
wireless entities and Nextel. The staff recommendation would require 
Nextel to pay more than the $850 million it said it would pay as part 
of the Consensus Plan. Nextel would pay all of the relocation costs 
plus the difference between that amount and "fair-market value" of 10 
megahertz of spectrum it seeks in the 1.9 GHz band. This 
recommendation was delivered to the commissioners March 9. The FCC 
hopes to vote on rules at its April 15 meeting, but Powell told House 
appropriators it might take a couple of months to come to resolution. 

The Consensus Plan would shuffle the 800 MHz band to eliminate the 
current situation where public safety, private wireless, Nextel and 
cellular carriers are intermingled. Nextel has said that it would pay 
$850 million for the necessary retuning of public-safety and private-
wireless radios. Nextel said it would deposit $100 million in an 
escrow account and secure irrevocable lines of credit for the 
remaining $750 million. In exchange for giving up spectrum in the 700 
MHz, 800 MHz and 900 MHz bands and for paying to retune public safety 
and private wireless, Nextel has asked for 10 megahertz in the 1.9 
GHz band. The staff proposal reportedly does not require Nextel to 
relinquish its 700 MHz and 900 MHz spectrum. 

On the other side is the Balanced Approach Plan supported by the 
Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association and the United 
Telecom Council. The Balanced Approach Plan calls for timely 
resolution of current interference at the expense of the interferer, 
coupled with technical rules, notification and coordination 
procedures to prevent new interference. 

http://www.rcrnews.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?newsId=17539

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