WASHINGTON-Nextel Communications Inc. late Wednesday provided more details of how it plans to give up 2 additional megahertz of spectrum in the 800 MHz band to solve public-safety interference.
“Although the additional channels at 816-817/861-862 MHz may not be optimum assignments for mission-critical public-safety communications-given their adjacency to the cellular channel block-they are well suited to relocating other 800 MHz incumbents, thereby clearing suitable channels for public-safety communications elsewhere in the non-cellular, high-site channel block below 861 MHz,” said Nextel. “To further maximize the utility of these additional channels, the Federal Communications Commission should permit 816-817/861-862 MHz licensees to swap voluntarily any of these channels for channels below 816/861 MHz, thereby providing licensees with flexibility to best manage their spectrum holdings consistent with their public-safety mission or business plans.”
Nextel’s filing came just hours after Verizon Wireless said that Nextel’s offer amounted to “costume jewelry for the taxpayers’ crown jewels.”
“In an ironic twist, Nextel is not facing regulatory punishment for causing interference to our nation’s first responders, but actually offering specific and increasingly greedy proposals as to how much the private company should be rewarded for agreeing to eliminate the dangerous situation Nextel customers can cause every time they use the company’s service,” said Verizon Wireless.
Nextel was having none of that and even before sending out its further information responded in kind.
“While they put out disingenuous, purely inflammatory rhetoric, we are trying to solve a real problem. They continue to talk, and we continue to act,” said Leigh Horner, Nextel director of policy communications. “We are not going to be distracted by their self-serving, anti-competitive arguments.”
On June 2, Nextel met with the FCC’s chief of staff, Bryan Tramont, to offer the additional spectrum. Nextel’s offer to Tramont followed a phone conversation public-safety advocates of the Consensus Plan had with FCC Chairman Michael Powell May 27 expressing concern Nextel will walk away from any plan that includes 2.1 GHz as replacement spectrum.
The offer of 2 additional megahertz and the restricted use of 1 megahertz of spectrum in the 800 MHz band brings Nextel’s total financial commitment to $5.155 million, according to Nextel.
“The additional 2 megahertz will provide 40 more 800 MHz public-safety communications channels in markets throughout the nation. This additional spectrum provides capacity for thousands of additional mobile units in communities where public-safety systems face serious capacity constraints. It also provides the essential spectrum access necessary to create the interoperable communications networks essential for public-safety officials to meet their expanded homeland-security responsibilities,” said Lawrence Krevor, Nextel vice president of government affairs.
The FCC is considering spectrum in either the 1.9 GHz or 2.1 GHz band as replacement for spectrum Nextel would give up as part of a retuning plan for the 800 MHz band. Nextel prefers 1.9 GHz spectrum, while Verizon Wireless and the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association advocate spectrum in the 2.1 GHz band.
