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800 MHz debate rages on and on Page 1 of 3 NiNAir2.~_' ii., _ d,P P;.iA -3b<- 4f"CilAiI1 ~ PKl!L_13a31 CI Ct M11YIIlilbfgbe MfgLEAYDiLt T89MA.t+GY 800 MHz debate rages on and on Mobile Radio Technology, Jan 1, 2004 Consensus Plan adds more problems than it solves By Jill Lyon and Diane Cornell The Federal Communications Commission has before it an important proceeding that is vital to our country's public-safety and critical-infrastructure community. This proceeding was initiated with three admirable goals: first, remedying interference to 800 MHz public-safety systems; second, ensuring minimum disruption to the existing licensing structure; and third, assuring sufficient spectrum for critical public-safety communications. Unfortunately, the proceeding has moved far from these basic goals. Instead, it has focused on a so- called "Consensus Plan" (initiated by Nextel), which does not remedy interference to public-safety systems and contains numerous other infirmities. The plan represents a complicated restructuring -involving the moving of radio assignments which would cause significant disruption to all public-safety licensees throughout the country, regardless of whether they aze receiving any interference. Despite clever rhetoric, the reality is that interference will only be slightly improved. Currently, the public-safety community is experiencing three types of interference: out of band, intermodulation and receiver overload. While interference from out-of--band emissions would decrease under the Consensus Plan, other types of interference -such as intermodulation - would be improved only mazginally. Intermodulation and receiver-overload interference can only be eliminated ifpublic-safety obtains new receivers. Yet, the Consensus Plan contemplates the replacement of just 1 percent of such receivers. Motorola, which manufactures the vast majority ofpublic-safety radios, recently published a study using the Consensus Plan's own assumptions, and concluded that up to 30 percent ofpublic-safety radios may have to be replaced. Such an increase would raise costs by more than $2 billion. Unfortunately, only $700 million has been earmarked for public safety under this plan. Should cost overruns occur, public-safety and state treasuries that already are drowning in red ink might be forced to make up the difference. Consensus Plan proponents tout the illusion that public safety will get additional spectrum at 800 MHz. This is highly speculative. It requires Nextel to vacate its spectrum in the middle of the 800 MHz band. It also assumes that other, non-public-safety licensees will not need it to meet their own mandated rebanding obligations. Nextel would require 16 MHz of 800 MHz spectrum in a market before public- safety would receive any additional space. Moreover, if any 800 MHz spectrum becomes available to public safety, it will not be for some years into a complex rebanding process. ATT. F http://iwce-mrt.com/microsites/magazinearticle.asp?mode=print&magazinearticleid=190329... 6/23/04