Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Nextel CEO: 2.1 GHz alternative "unacceptable"

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 12 May 2004 13:32:12 -0400

Nextel CEO: 2.1 GHz alternative "unacceptable"

By Donny Jackson

IWCE/MRT, 

May 12 2004

Nextel Communications CEO Tim Donahue today declared 
as "unacceptable" a CTIA plan that would substitute 2.1 GHz 
spectrum for the 1.9 GHz airwaves Nextel wants as part of a 
rebanding plan to resolve interference at 800 MHz, according 
to a letter Donahue wrote to FCC Chairman Michael Powell. 

Donahue’s letter was delivered in the wake of a proposal from 
the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, 
which last week called for Nextel to pay $3 billion into a trust 
to fund rebanding costs at 800 MHz and receive 2.1 GHz 
spectrum. Yesterday, CTIA filed a comment with the FCC that 
the 2.1 GHz spectrum is comparable to the 1.9 GHz airwaves 
Nextel wants as replacement spectrum. 

In his letter to Powell, Donahue disputed this notion, noting 
that it would cost Nextel much more money to have vendors 
develop equipment for 2.1 GHz. 

"My responsibility to Nextel's shareholders requires that Nextel 
obtain comparable value in any retuning transaction: 2.1 GHz 
does not meet that test," Donahue said in the letter. "Nextel 
cannot and will not accept that result and will avail itself of 
every possible legal challenge to the outcome." 

Nextel plans to use the replacement spectrum gained through 
the 800 MHz proceeding to offer advanced wireless data services. 
In his letter, Donahue said the CTIA proposal is a "collusive gambit" 
by Nextel’s commercial wireless competitors to delay his company’s 
entry into the market and to increase its cost of doing so. The tactic 
"is the height of anticompetitive audacity" and warrants FCC rejection 
on those grounds. 

"The sole goal of the 2.1 GHz advocates is to decrease competition 
and inflict damage on Nextel by manipulating this proceeding to 
force Nextel to accept - at great cost - inferior replacement spectrum," 
according to the letter. 

Many analysts believe Nextel would assume some political and public 
relations risk by opposing any FCC order, especially after spending 
more than two years educating the public and policy-makers about 
the interference issues plaguing public-safety organizations at 800 MHz. 
>From a legal standpoint, however, most believe Nextel can do so. 

"Listen, Nextel can walk," said Patrick Comack, telecom analyst with 
Guzman & Associates. "They can’t be forced to do anything…They don’t 
have to pay one penny to do anything to solve interference." And Comack 
said he believes Nextel should do that rather than accept an FCC order 
that mirrors the CTIA proposal, which calls for Nextel to pay as much
for 
2.1 GHz airwaves as most analysts’ have predicted it would have to pay 
for more valuable 1.9 GHz spectrum. 

Source:  http://iwce-mrt.com/ar/radio_nextel_ceo_ghz/index.htm

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Yahoo! Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70
http://us.click.yahoo.com/Z1wmxD/DREIAA/yQLSAA/61FxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

-- 
    "NEXTEL-1 IT'S NOT JUST NEXTEL"
  Note The New address 
Subscribe to Nextel-1: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL-1

  "NEXTEL2 FOR iDEN SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS"
Subscribe to Nextel2: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL2

  "WIRELESS FORUM HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP"
     The Complete Resource for Wireless Homeland Security.
Subscribe to WFHSG:  http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/WFHSG

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEXTEL-1/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     [email-masked]

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
     http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 12 May 2004 15:45:28 EDT

Go to the Balanced Approach--technical solutions and mitigation tactics and 
require Nextel to pay the costs of remedying intrference as it arises in the 
800 MHz band.

P. Waugh