WASHINGTON-The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association late Friday petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to reallocate spectrum assigned to struggling mobile satellite firms to cellular phone carriers struggling to capture additional frequencies for third-generation wireless systems.
The anticipated move by the mobile-phone industry comes in response to a proposal by cellular pioneer Craig McCaw and New ICO to use 2 GHz mobile satellite service frequencies for ancillary terrestrial use. The FCC is considering the New ICO plan.
The mobile-phone industry, which vigorously opposes the New ICO proposal, is trying to get congressional and administration help to secure spectrum from the 700 MHz, 1700 MHz and 2500 MHz bands that have been designated for 3G, but are occupied by broadcasters, the Pentagon, churches, schools and broadband Internet carriers. A 3G bill could be introduced as early as this week, while Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is expected to oppose cell-phone industry use of the 1700 MHz in a letter going to President Bush shortly.
New ICO, for its part, has succeeded in garnering support from four Senate Commerce Committee members: Ernest Holdings (D-S.C.), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.).
“Since millions of Americans who live in rural areas currently have no mobile voice or data service, an MSS network will be their best, if not their only choice for fast digital connections,” said the lawmakers in an April 24 letter to FCC Chairman Michael Powell. “If the 2 GHz MSS service is to succeed, the commission must decide the issue as quickly as possible, because applicants cannot begin in earnest to raise the enormous sums necessary to design, build and deploy their systems when they do not have licenses and key aspects of the service rules remain under reconsideration.
New ICO, Iridium L.L.C. and Globalstar Telecommunications Ltd., three top MSS licensees, are in financial straits.
Steven Berry, senior vice president for government affairs at CTIA, said the New ICO proposal amounts to a de facto reallocation and another universal-service program for rural America.
In a May 10 letter to President Bush that was unusually harsh in its criticism of prior government 3G policy, CTIA President Thomas Wheeler and top board members urged that the president should “delay proceedings related to pending spectrum auctions until his [Commerce Secretary Donald Evans] analysis is completed this summer.”
