Nextel Proposes Public Safety Spectrum Swap; Public
Safety Spectrum Allocation Would Double; Proposal
Facilitates Enhanced Interoperability Among Public
Safety Agencies
RESTON, Va., Nov 21, 2001 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
Nextel Offers Retuning Assistance
Nextel Communications, Inc., (NASDAQ:NXTL) today filed a white paper with
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to propose the expansion,
realignment and further protection of public safety communications.
The proposal describes a public-private partnership designed to facilitate two
important public safety objectives. First, it would provide a framework for
mitigating interference to public safety communications from commercial
services at 800 MHz.
This would be accomplished by separating the channel blocks used by cellular
and other CMRS providers from those used by public safety communications
systems. Second, it would double public safety's spectrum allocation at 800
MHz, thereby providing opportunities to increase capacity, deploy advanced
technologies and enhance interoperability among police, fire and rescue
personnel.
The proposal would result in a more efficient use of spectrum by all parties
through a realignment of radio frequencies in the 700, 800 and 900 MHz bands.
If adopted, public safety communications systems would have access to a 20
MHz block of contiguous spectrum in the lower 800 MHz band - more than
double public safety's current allocation of 9.5 MHz of non-contiguous
spectrum at 800 MHz.
This spectrum would be adjacent to the 700 MHz frequency band already
allocated by the FCC for future public safety usage.
"We are committed to working with the public safety community, the FCC and
others to enable new spectrum allocation solutions that best meet our nation's
needs and appropriately balance public needs with private interests," said Tim
Donahue, president and CEO of Nextel. "Nextel appreciates the cooperation and
support of the public safety community in the development of this proposal
which enables the transfer of valuable spectrum resources to the public safety
community to help meet their near-term needs."
Under the proposal, Nextel would exchange 16 MHz of its current licensed
spectrum to make the realignment possible. Specifically, Nextel would exchange
4 MHz in the 700 MHz band, approximately 8 MHz of current SMR spectrum in
the lower non-contiguous channels of the 800 MHz band, and approximately 4
MHz of spectrum in the 900 MHz band.
In return for this spectrum, Nextel would receive 16 MHz of spectrum,
comprised of 6 MHz in the upper 800 MHz band and 10 MHz in the 2.1 GHz
band. Nextel's current, contiguous spectrum holdings of 10 MHz in the upper
800 MHz band would be unaffected.
Under the proposal, Nextel would maintain its net spectrum allocation, and
does not anticipate any adverse impact on its ability to serve its existing or
future customers.
In addition, Nextel is willing to provide financial and other resources to the
public safety community to facilitate implementation of the proposal.
Specifically, Nextel would contribute up to $500 million to help cover the public
safety community's costs of retuning incumbent operators to the new public
safety spectrum block and other expenses associated with the realignment,
provided the FCC adopts the proposal substantially as submitted. |
