Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Schumer asks for action on N.Y. dead zones

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 04:07:24 -0500

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Breaking News

Schumer asks for action on N.Y. dead zones

Nov. 25, 2002 12:53 PM EST

WASHINGTON—Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y), pointing to nearly 200 dead zones in New York City and its reputation for having the worst service of any major metropolitan area in the U.S., has called on Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell to adopt a 5-point plan to improve mobile phone service and consumer choice.

“Dropped calls, jammed, poor call quality and rigid contracts are quickly transforming an excellent modern convenience into a nightmare for consumers,” said Schumer in a Nov. 24 letter to Powell. “I believe that there are several common sense regulations that the FCC could implement which could go a long way toward helping consumers make informed decision about their wireless providers.”

Schumer’s plan would prohibit charges to consumers from dropped calls; permit subscribers to keep their telephone numbers when they switch to a new mobile phone carrier; encourage improved building coverage; include a "dead-zone" disclosure to consumers; and enforce carrier compliance with FCC rules governing location-based 911 service.

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) has sponsored legislation to give consumers better information before signing up with a wireless carrier, but the measure has gone nowhere the past two years.

Cell phone carriers say service would improve if local zoning boards would stop blocking applications to erect towers.

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---

From: "arclight_arclight" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 00:43:55 -0000

--- In NEXTEL-1@y..., marcelrf@b... wrote:

The last line of the story is more important than most folks know.  
It has grown consistently more difficult to get through the leasing / 
zoning / permitting process over the past 3 years that I have worked 
in this business, and I don't see that changing anywhere anytime 
soon.  There was an article posted here not too long ago that said 
that even a public-safety agency was in deep trouble over antenna 
zoning (in Marin County, CA, I believe).

As I have said before, I think that the public has been poorly served 
with the term "wireless".  It translates to "magic" in their minds, 
instead of "radio".  If you ask them, most folks would say that they 
understand that radio transmitters need an antenna, and that they can 
be intercepted; I am not sure they make the connections 
with "wireless" devices.   

Dave Maples

Dave Maples

---

From: Jack Daniel <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 06:32:56 -0800

Very good point Dave. 

I see a similar "wireless vs radio" mentality in in-door communications.

One of my favorite wireless oxymorons occured when I was in the
underground main entrance to the LA MTA subway about 2 AM during a film
shoot. A LA police officer was standing next to me when he received a
garbled message on his new high-tech portable. He became frustrated when
he couldn't talk out the basement. And his exact words were;
"Damn these (brand name) radios anyway! Now I have to go upstairs and
use my cellphone just because these new radios don't work right."

I started to suggest the 'cellphone' had the same problem but he didn't
seem in the mood to use logic.

The oversell and hype about celluar coverage everywhere, anytime is
believed by a lot of radio users, and when they pay $3000 for a handheld
they expect it to do more than a $100 cellular handset. No one tells
them the infrastructure cellular has costs over 10 times as much to make
their system work almost as good as a well designed private radio
system. And a big part of the 'wireless' infrastructure is antenna site
everywhere.

But I may be wrong......
Jack Daniel
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