https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
  • 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
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • Microwave/RF
    • T&D World
    • 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
  • 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
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • 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


Analyst: 800 MHz decision imminent

Analyst: 800 MHz decision imminent

Federal Communications Commission officials are expected to decide how to resolve interference created by commercial wireless carrier Nextel Communications
  • Written by Urgent Communications Administrator
  • 2nd April 2004

Federal Communications Commission officials are expected to decide how to resolve interference created by commercial wireless carrier Nextel Communications in the 800 MHz public-safety band during the FCC’s April 15 meeting, if not sooner, according to one analyst.

Rudy Baca, wireless strategist for Precursor Group and a former employee of the FCC’s Wireless Bureau, said the FCC’s April meeting is a “backstop” for a ruling, but there is a very good chance that the decision will be made on a circulation basis prior to the open meeting.

“The White House said, ‘This is a priority,’ so it’s going to get done,” Baca said.

A draft ruling being circulated among commissioners is based largely on the Consensus Plan, which calls for rebanding within the 800 MHz frequencies and Nextel getting 10 MHz of spectrum at 1.9 GHz. In return, Nextel has said it would pay $850 million to fund the retuning of the radios for the entities that would be moved.

Baca said his sources indicate Nextel will have to pay for the 1.9 GHz spectrum—at a cost between $3 billion and $7.2 billion, in addition to Nextel’s $850 million commitment to pay for retuning, he said. However, Verizon Wireless and other commercial wireless operators have long contended that the law requires the spectrum at 1.9 GHz to be auctioned, and “I don’t know how the FCC gets around that,” Baca said.

With this in mind, there’s little doubt the issue will be taken to court. In fact, Baca recently wrote a report that states it “is highly likely (75%) the reviewing court will overturn the FCC’s decision and require an auction.” In addition to legal questions, Congress will apply considerable pressure for an auction, the proceeds of which would help address federal budget issues, Baca said.

The fear for public-safety officials has been that the 800 MHz issues would be dragged into litigation as well, which could delay rebanding for at least an additional year. Baca said he doubts that will occur; instead, he believes any judges hearing the case will separate the issues—allowing the 800 MHz rebanding to proceed while presiding over the 1.9 GHz debate.

“God forbid, if we have another 9/11, no judge wants the story to say, ‘Judge So-and-So blocked a plan that would have solved the interference problems,’” that resulted in people dying during such a tragedy, Baca said.

However, that scenario is “net bad news” for Nextel, which likely would remain responsible for paying at least $850 million for 800 MHz rebanding without knowing whether it would ever receive 1.9 GHz airwaves, Baca said. That prospect makes the deal much less attractive for Nextel, which had hoped to receive 1.9 GHz spectrum at no extra cost to roll out its Flarion high-data-rate technology to compete with the 3G services being offered by its competitors.

Placing a short-term value on the proposed deal is difficult, but placing a long-term value is even more difficult.

Although Nextel has one of the most attractive customer bases in the industry, the company has never been a serious consolidation target, because its interleaved 800 MHz spectrum is almost useless to other wireless carriers. If Nextel can reach a deal that would give it contiguous spectrum at 800 MHz and 1.9 GHz, expect several suitors to make bids to buy the wireless carrier in upcoming years, Baca said.

“I’ve thought Nextel’s been dressing itself up for the takeout prom for some time now,” he said. “If they could get cleaned-up spectrum at 800 MHz, keep its push-to-talk—something the others can’t match—and have some spectrum at 1.9 GHz, then Nextel starts looking pretty.”

Tags: content Policy Rebanding

Most Recent


  • Final cases made about Airwave, ESN, before CMA issues provisional decision on Motorola Solutions
    Key players in the United Kingdom (UK) plans to deliver public-safety communications via the Airwave TETRA system or the much-delayed LTE-based Emergency Services Network (ESN) offered very different opinions on what should be done as UK competition watchdog prepares to make it provisional decision on the roles played by Motorola Solutions in both networks. Yesterday, […]
  • Polaris Wireless: Manlio Allegra talks 911 Z-axis tech, future IoT opportunities
      Manlio Allegra, co-founder and CEO at Polaris Wireless, outlines the latest developments in 911 location, including recent announcements of industry compliance with FCC requirements to provide Z-axis vertical-location information for all 911 callers, even when calling wirelessly from inside a multi-story building. In addition to providing this Z-axis location for feature-phone makers like Schok, […]
  • Biden's net-neutrality strategy looks doomed
    There is mounting evidence that Gigi Sohn, President Biden’s nomination to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), may never get Senate approval. That could spell the end of his efforts to reinstate the agency’s net neutrality guidelines trashed by former President Trump. “All indications suggest that it’s over and [the White House] is just figuring out how to […]
  • Only 3% of open-source software bugs are actually attackable, researchers say
    With vulnerability-management workloads ballooning in the era of heightened software supply chain security risks, a study out today suggests that only about 3% of today’s flaws are actually reachable by attackers. The data implies that if application security (appsec) pros and developers work to focus on fixing and mitigating what’s truly attackable, they could drastically […]

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

  • New Orleans-area 911 center inks multiyear APEX deal with Carbyne to replace call-handling system
  • Analyst: 800 MHz decision imminent
    Newscan: Feds recover millions from pipeline ransom hackers, hint at U.S. Internet tactic
  • Cyber is the new Cold War, and AI is the arms race
  • Private wireless networks in the US start going public

Commentary


LTE and liability: Why the fire service must move forward with digital incident command

  • 2
6th May 2022

Partnership and collaboration must be the foundation for emergency communications

18th April 2022

FirstNet success means no hypothetical ‘shots’ need to be fired, Swenson says

22nd February 2022
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

Final cases made about Airwave, ESN, before CMA issues provisional decision on Motorola Solutions dlvr.it/ST4Q6X

29th June 2022
UrgentComm

Polaris Wireless: Manlio Allegra talks 911 Z-axis tech, future IoT opportunities dlvr.it/ST1384

28th June 2022
UrgentComm

Biden’s net-neutrality strategy looks doomed dlvr.it/SSyQ7d

28th June 2022
UrgentComm

Only 3% of open-source software bugs are actually attackable, researchers say dlvr.it/SSxjxK

27th June 2022
UrgentComm

Cabinless self-driving trucks get the green light dlvr.it/SSxghf

27th June 2022
UrgentComm

Autonomous vehicles in slow lane as robots accelerate dlvr.it/SSxPDQ

27th June 2022
UrgentComm

Southern Linc official discusses MCPTT migration, interoperability with new partner Catalyst dlvr.it/SSr8VD

25th June 2022
UrgentComm

Newscan: NYPD’s bomb-sniffing dogs get a high-tech upgrade to keep city safe dlvr.it/SSpSD1

25th June 2022

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
  • Microwave/RF
  • T&D World
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 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.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X