Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Verizon Opposes New Nextel Proposal

From: NEXTEL-1
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2004 21:01:55 -0400

washingtonpost.com

Verizon Opposes New Nextel Proposal
Cell Phone Carriers Continue to Grapple With Public Safety Interference
Issue

By Yuki Noguchi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 10, 2004; Page E05

Verizon Wireless yesterday shot down a proposal by Nextel Communications
Inc., as the two
mobile-phone carriers continued their fight over ways to minimize
cellular call interference with
public safety communications.

The long-running controversy centers on Nextel's proposal to solve the
interference problem by
giving up some of its airwaves, which carry phone calls and Internet
traffic. The sixth-largest
mobile-phone carrier has also told the Federal Communications Commission
it will pay $850 million
to move public safety groups to less-congested airwaves.

In exchange, Reston-based Nextel wants to control new, more desirable
airwaves at the 1.9
gigahertz range. Verizon Wireless and other competitors have opposed the
plan.

In a proposal made Friday, Nextel offered to give up more of its
airwaves to police and emergency
groups.

Steve Zipperstein, general counsel for Verizon Wireless, said: "Nextel's
new scheme doesn't
provide an additional cent for public safety. Public safety needs money,
not lousy spectrum." He
also contended it would do little to solve the interference problem.

Instead, the FCC should adopt a plan backed by the Cellular
Telecommunications & Internet
Association, the main wireless industry trade group, which would require
Nextel to pay $3 billion in
cash for airwaves that are less valuable than those Nextel wants,
Zipperstein said.

Some public safety groups and politicians have said Nextel should pay
more money. But many
hundreds of local fire and police organizations have endorsed Nextel's
plan.

Nextel's latest proposal "is a win-win for us in that it provides us
some additional channels and could further reduce
interference," said Robert Gurss, director of legal affairs for the
Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials.

Nextel spokeswoman Leigh Horner called Verizon Wireless's letter
yesterday "disingenuous and inflammatory." The company
will continue to work with the FCC to resolve the interference problems,
she said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29893-2004Jun9.html

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