https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • Product Guides
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookie Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • Product Guides
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

content


Nextel interference debate rages on

Nextel interference debate rages on

Discussions at the Federal Communications Commission over how to fix public-safety interference caused by Nextel Communications and other commercial mobile
  • Written by Urgent Communications Administrator
  • 1st August 2003

Discussions at the Federal Communications Commission over how to fix public-safety interference caused by Nextel Communications and other commercial mobile radio operators in the 800 MHz band have reached a fever pitch in recent weeks.

It’s clear the interference issue is one of the most complicated matters the commission has ever dealt with as members of the wireless industry — ranging from public-safety users to private wireless users to commercial wireless operators — stand deeply and religiously divided over the issue.

Nextel and a group of public-safety agencies, including the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, offered up their latest solution, dubbed the “consensus plan,” to the interference problem in a Christmas Eve filing last year, calling on the FCC to split the 800 MHz band into two parts: one for cellular systems and one for public-safety systems.

In exchange, Nextel wants to receive for free 10 megahertz of spectrum in the 1.9 GHz (1910-1915-1995 MHz) to make up for the 10 megahertz it will surrender in the 700, 800 and 900 MHz bands to fix interference problems.

The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, vehemently opposed to any free gift of spectrum at 1.9 GHz, along with entities from the electric, gas and water utilities, business and industrial users and incumbent SMR licensees have joined the 800 MHz User Coalition opposing Nextel’s plan and any rebanding of the 800 MHz band, preferring the FCC solve interference through a solution called the “balanced approach” that employs mandated mitigation using best practices solutions by establishing procedures to avoid interference instances as well as adding technical rule modifications and using more advanced technology.

Participants of the 800 MHz User Coalition say they would suffer harm from rebanding of the 800 MHz band.

“All suggestions (to the FCC) are reactive. The only proactive plan is the consensus plan,” Barry West, chief technology officer with Nextel, told analysts during the company’s recent second-quarter conference call. “The public-safety community and other consensus partners are still solidly behind the consensus plan.”

While large associations representing the affected users such as APCO, the Industrial Telecommunications Association (ITA) and the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) continue to support Nextel’s consensus plan, some local and regional public-safety agencies, happy with their current systems and concerned about funding issues, are beginning to take a critical look at the consensus plan.

Earlier this summer, the City of Baltimore urged the NPSTC to review and support the balanced approach to solving the 800 MHz interference problem, stating that Baltimore already operates a modern trunked system that, while isn’t entirely free from interference, was purchased at great cost and meets the city’s needs.

NPSTC didn’t budge and asked Baltimore to reconsider its position, saying public safety everywhere is at risk.

“Whenever you have public safety agencies involved, it becomes a political problem,” said ITA President and CEO Laura Smith. “An officer or firefighter not getting the assistance they need is very much a political problem. That’s an unacceptable side effect. You can’t best-practice a problem away.”

Business plans are also at stake.

Mark Crosby, president of Access Spectrum, which is in the business of leasing spectrum to private wireless users, recently filed his comments with the FCC opposing the consensus plan. If the majority of private wireless users move from the 800 MHz band to free spectrum at 900 MHz, they would not need to lease spectrum from band managers.

“The particular element of the consensus plan that we don’t favor is the allocation of the 900 MHz band,” said Crosby, former longtime president of ITA. “The FCC would be giving it away for free whether users need it or not. We can fix the problem without all of the spectrum swaps.”

Indeed, few private-wireless licensees are experiencing interference but have been willing to relocate since Nextel upped its relocation price tag from $500 to $850 million, of which $150 million will pay for private wireless relocation.

Likewise, SouthernLINC, which operates the same iDEN system on the same frequencies as Nextel, opposes the consensus plan on the grounds that moving Nextel to new spectrum would diminish the value of frequencies held by non-Nextel licensees in the 700 and 800 MHz bands. By splitting the 800 MHz band, SouthernLINC and others would remain in the bands designated for public safety, restraining the use of their systems.

“We’re not having the same problems as Nextel,” said Michael Rosenthal, director of regulatory affairs with SouthernLINC. “We’re not causing any interference to anyone. We have signed on to the balanced approach, and we have stressed to Nextel and the commission that the consensus plan suffers from lack of competitive symmetry.”

Nextel, APCO and others are convinced the interference problem is severe, wide-spread and will worsen as commercial radio systems evolve, while opponents cite APCO’s own database that indicates just 1 percent of public-safety operators have reported interference problems.

Consensus plan proponents say that statistics have been taken out of context and never intended to constitute a valid sampling of interference problems.

Still, Brian Fontes, senior vice president of regulatory affairs with Cingular Wireless, asks: “Where are these complaints at the FCC? Where is the interference problems posted on the FCC’s Web site? What really is the level of interference? … Nextel’s own proposal admits that it has to go back and mitigate interference once rebanding has taken place.”

The balanced approach provides case-by-case reactive work and advocates technical solutions such as those offered by Motorola, which has told the FCC that advances in receiver technology and increased signal strength for public-safety systems could successfully resolve many of the interference problems.

Consensus advocates say best practices and Motorola’s technical fixes are only part of the solution.

“Best practices is not a new concept, and it has been determined that it is not an adequate solution,” said ITA’s Smith. “Public safety has been working on this already for some time.”

SouthernLINC’s Rosenthal and other supporters of the balanced approach say best-practice solutions will work when they are legally required.

“Best practices to date have been optional,” said Rosenthal. “If made mandatory, they would have a better chance of working … Best practices combined with new software creates a comprehensive solution that is proactive in areas where public safety is having problems.”

Another major issue the FCC will have to contend with is reimbursement.

While Nextel has agreed to fund up to $850 million to relocate incumbents in the 800 MHz band, critics say the Nextel proposal does not sufficiently assure that public-safety agencies will be reimbursed for relocation costs.

Given the impossibility of estimating costs, the cap Nextel is placing on relocation is unacceptable.

Likewise, the balanced approach proposal does not give any indication of what costs are involved or who might be responsible for software upgrade costs.

Those working closely with the FCC on the interference issue say the commission is far from reaching a decision.

And the commission is likely to shelve Nextel’s request for free spectrum at 1.9 GHz, the most controversial aspects of the consensus plan. Not only would Nextel receive precious spectrum in the 1.9 GHz band, but it would also have contiguous spectrum in the 800 MHz band instead of being split among the 700, 800 and 900 MHz bands.

CTIA, which finds Nextel’s request extremely problematic, recently told the FCC that Nextel’s 10-megahertz spectrum grab is valued between $4.5 million and $5.3 million based on recent and proposed commercial transactions in the 1.9 GHz band.

Tags: content

Most Recent


  • Nextel interference debate rages on
    Newscan: Securing the Internet of Things is quite a challenge
    Also: EWA requests dismissal of 900 MHz applications; TIA names tech and policy priorities for 2014; IJIS Institute names Shumate Award winner; App makes bus waits more tolerable; a Blackberry comeback may be in the offing.
  • Nextel interference debate rages on
    Newscan: FCC certifies Carlson Wireless's white-space radio
    Also: Congress looks to revamp telecom law; Obama to place some restraints on surveillance; IEEE to study spectrum-occupancy sensing for white-spaces broadband; Major Swedish transport operator opts for Sepura TETRA radios; RFMD to partner on $70 million next-generation power grid project; NENA opens registratiuon for "911 Goes to Washington."
  • Nextel interference debate rages on
    Newscan: A look at the critical job of 911 dispatchers
    Also: NYC launches website for tracking 911 response times; Oregon implements 911 on pre-paid cell phones; LightSquared wants to keep spectrum assets; Harris receives multiple government orders; FCC extends rebanding financial reconciliation deadline; Zetron gear at core of communications system upgrade; Ritron debuts wireless access control system; EWA seeks policy review of VHF vehicular repeater system deployments.
  • Nextel interference debate rages on
    Newscan: Average peak data rates of 144 MB/s average realized in tests with CAT 4 LTE device
    Also: Verizon, T-Mobile to swap unused spectrum to improve coverage; Internet giants oppose surveillance--but only when the government does it; FCC Chairman says incentive auction will be delayed until middle of 2015; FCC chair announces staff appointments; Alcatel-Lucent names Tim Krause as chief marketing officer; New Jersey county deploys TriTech CAD system; Toronto airport deploys 26-position Zetron console system;

Leave a comment Cancel reply

To leave a comment login with your Urgent Comms account:

Log in with your Urgent Comms account

Or alternatively provide your name, email address below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • RugGear: Contributing to the future of mission-critical broadband communication review and market vision
  • Photo gallery: 2014 Communications Marketing Conference (CMC) in Tucson
  • Nextel interference debate rages on
    Top 5 Stories - Week of Sept. 22
  • Nextel interference debate rages on
    RCA plans to expand this year's Technical Symposium

Commentary


How 5G is making cities safer, smarter, and more efficient

26th January 2023

3GPP moves Release 18 freeze date to March 2024

18th January 2023

Do smart cities make safer cities?

  • 1
6th January 2023
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

AT&T wireless growth keyed by FirstNet—now provides 24,000 agencies with 4.4 million connections dlvr.it/ShY5qH

27th January 2023
UrgentComm

Report: Remote work causing offices to empty, but walkable cities still in high demand dlvr.it/ShXM7Z

27th January 2023
UrgentComm

AT&T FirstNet unleashes robotic dogs for emergency services dlvr.it/ShW7p8

27th January 2023
UrgentComm

Federal agencies infested by cyberattackers via legit remote-management systems dlvr.it/ShVhn3

26th January 2023
UrgentComm

How 5G is making cities safer, smarter, and more efficient dlvr.it/ShVS1h

26th January 2023
UrgentComm

MCPTT interworking for critical communications dlvr.it/ShTm3P

26th January 2023
UrgentComm

Self-driving cars present terrorism risk, FBI director says dlvr.it/ShTTHx

26th January 2023
UrgentComm

UK Home Office officially will cut ESN ties with Motorola Solutions in December dlvr.it/ShNjfN

24th January 2023

Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.