Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Volunteer firefighters renounce Consensus Plan

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 13:49:54 -0400

Volunteer firefighters renounce Consensus Plan
By Heather Forsgren Weaver
April 28 13:25:00, 2004

WASHINGTON—The National Volunteer Fire Council told the Federal
Communications Commission Tuesday that it has
serious concerns about the Consensus Plan to solve public-safety
interference in the 800 MHz band.

“It is the NVFC’s understanding that the FCC is considering Nextel’s
plan and that the company is claiming to have the
universal support of the first responder community. I wanted to make you
are aware that this simply is not the case. The
NVFC had absolutely no input into the crafting of Nextel’s plan,” said
NVFC Chairman Philip Stittleburg.

The letter was released by Verizon Wireless, which has been battling
Nextel Communications Inc. over whether Nextel
should receive spectrum in the 1.9 GHz band as part of a plan to solve
public-safety interference in the 800 MHz band.

The FCC staff recommendation reportedly 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 perhaps
billions more than the $850 million it said it would pay as part of the
rebanding agreement. 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 had hoped to vote on
the rules at its April 15 meeting, but it was pulled from the agenda at
the last minute.

The Consensus Plan would shuffle the 800 MHz band to eliminate the
current situation where public safety, private
wireless, Nextel, other SMRs and cellular carriers are intermingled. 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 interference at the expense of
the interferer, coupled with technical rules, notification and
coordination procedures to prevent new interference.

http://rcrnews.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?newsId=17901
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From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 15:45:09 -0400

It's not that surprising .......

Look how long it has taken the media (Hi-Five to Jesse D. @ WSJ) to bring
this issue to mainstream media. We (who work in Wireless) have know about it
for years. After years of denial Nextel is just now accepting responsibility
for something many of us have been dealing with since 1996.

Not ever one is on the "cutting edge" of technology  there are so many
dinosaurs (in wireless too!) around  its not funny. Many vollies don't know
the difference between 400 Mhz & 800 Mhz. They trust the FCC (mistake) to
protect their interests.

I agree get in early and "Give 'em Hell"

Jack Daniel wrote:

> It's surprizing that public safety organizations and individuals appear
> to be just 'discovering' the 800 MHz interference issue at such a late
> date.
>
> I wonder where they have been for the last three years during which the
> issue was highly publicized in countless articles in trade magazines,
> association publications, FCC notices, newspapers, TV programs and
> hundreds of face-to-face discussion meetings nationwide.
>
> It would have helped a lot to have had their participation and comments
> when it would have been more effective. Taking advantage of any of these
> earlier opprotunities could have better prepared these people in
> understanding how massively complex the problem is and how equally
> complex ANY solution will be.
>
> ===============================================

 
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From: Jack Daniel <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 12:34:24 -0700

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2004 12:04:40 -0400

Ed Tobias wrote:

> Although some of us volunteers are tech-savvy you're right, many are
> not.  More to the point, though, is that many, if not most, volunteer
> departments are dependent upon a radio system that's bought by the
> county that dispatches them.
>
> That was going to be my next point....
>
>
>
> Certainly, here in Montgomery County, MD the 800 mHz system was bought
> by the county, for police, fire and other county use, without input,
> (or at least significant input), from the 19 local fire-rescue
> departments in the county.

Most Counties have the No Pay- No Say- policy when it comes to radio
selection.

And we all know Volleys budgets are generally tight and they must accept
used equipment from the
"Paid" department.

The only time I have seen Volleys have significant Radio input is when
there is NO "Paid" department.

The one edge the many volleys benefit from, is the diverse membership.
Many Volleys are
Engineers, Technicians, Amateur radio Operators, Lawyers, Researchers,
Electricians, etc.

Many bring their skill sets to the table for the benefit of their VFD.
Without this valuable resource, many VFD's would truly suffer.

While the comments of the Volunteer firefighters may be a late entry,
however they should not be ignored.

>
>
>
>
>  Ed, KR3EPresidentGaithersburg - Washington Grove VFD
>
>      ----- Original Message -----
>      From:[email-masked]
>      To: [email-masked]
>      Cc: [email-masked] ; WFHSG ;
>      [email-masked] ;
>      [email-masked]
>      Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2004 3:45 PM
>      Subject: [WFHSG] Re: [800interference] Volunteer
>      firefighters renounce Consensus Plan
>      Not everyone is on the "cutting edge" of technology  there
>      are so many