Subject: RE: [NEXTEL-1] RE: Why the interest in 900 MHz all of a sudden?

From: "Lindsay C. Blanton" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2003 20:08:51 -0600

I wonder how the LCRA feels about this.
 
The LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority) maintains a 900 MHz Wideband
(25 Khz channels) wide-area EDACS system in South/South Central Texas.
Many pubic safety agencies use this mulit-site wide-area system, and I
suspect that this is the ONLY 900 Mhz public safety related system in
the United States.
 
Detailed info on this system at:
 
http://www.trunkedradio.net/modules.php?name=TRSDB
<http://www.trunkedradio.net/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=48> &sid=48 
(Registration Required)
 
Anyone heard from the LCRA on their stance on Nextel moving into 900
Mhz?
 
Lindsay
 
------------------------------------------ 
Lindsay C. Blanton III 
The Trunked Radio Information Homepage 
http://www.trunkedradio.net <http://www.trunkedradio.net/>  

-----Original Message-----
From: Marcel [mailto:[email-masked]] 
Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2003 8:06 PM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: [NEXTEL-1] RE: Why the interest in 900 MHz all of a sudden?

-------- Original Message -------- 
From: 	 "Todd Ellis" <[email-masked]>	
Subject: 	 RE:  Why the interest in 900 MHz all of a sudden?	

-----Original Message----- 
From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] 
Sent:Friday, February 28, 200311:59 PM 
Subject: Re: [PWF] Why the interest in 900 MHz all of a sudden? 

<snip> 

I agree, that's why we've always had the 900 MHz issue "on the table"
with Nextel, and that's why we're still in the process of working out an
agreement under the Consensus Plan to minimize (if not totally prevent)
this from happening.  However, the engineers from all sides (Nextel,
public safety and private) were working on coming to an agreement for
800 MHz first, because of the very limited time frame.  Now that we've
finalized finished with the rounds and re-rounds of comments, we can
devote engineer time to 900 MHz (we're also going to work on re-fining
Appendix F with regard to measurement techniques).  In fact, there are a
group of 900 MHz licensees who have already met with Nextel to work on
this (I'm not looking to steal that person's thunder, so if he wants to
give you more info, he's on this board and can step up and say more
here). 

</snip> 

Here's the situation as it sits: 

1.	The 900 MHz Industrial Users Group filed comments with the
Commission that specifically called out the following points; 

*Potentially impacted incumbents receive 30-day notice of 900 MHz
construction from Nextel. 

*Nextel provide an "interference hot line" telephone number for
immediate notification of interference. 

*If interference is detected or suspected, incumbents provide Nextel
with independent third party assessment of the interference matter.  The
Commission's Enforcement Division should also be served with a copy of
the assessment report. 

*Nextel must resolve the interference within three days of notification.

*If the interference is not mitigated to the incumbent's satisfaction
within the three days, then the Commission's Enforcement Division will
investigate the complaint immediately. 

*If the interference is confirmed to emanate from Nextel's equipment by
the Enforcement Division representative, the site will be shut down and
the interfering party will be fined substantially in a manner consistent
with the potential revenue losses due to the interference that could be
experienced by the incumbent licensee. 

2.	Of course, this was not a popular concept.  We met with Nextel
to cover each point in detail; 

*	Nextel felt that the 30 day notice was a bad idea since it gave
potential competitors a heads-up on their activities.  I respectfully
disagreed.  Industrial users like American West and Shell Oil are not
competitors and thus this argument is moot. 

*	The interference hot line idea will be considered along with
other issues for a revised "Best Practices" guideline. 

*	Interference detection is important, as is the proof that it is
being caused, agreed on both sides. 

*	Nextel does not like the idea of a 3-day fix.  Most problems are
being fixed within 2 weeks of notification.  We pointed out that since
control of the sites is generally remote (no hands-on required to move
channels or lower power), that 3 days is still feasible.  It was pointed
out that there are a LOT of sites that need attention too, and that
should be considered, as Nextel engineering isn't sitting around like
the Maytag Man waiting for problems to crop up. 

*	The Enforcement Division's involvement is still seen as
instrumental.  The Commission must hold its role as the governmental
entity regulating the bands.  Signing on to the Consensus Plan cannot
mean that the signatories abdicate their ability to utilize the
Enforcement Division for interference problems.  Abdication is simply
not a choice. 

3.	One thing we talked about was the specifications of 900 MHz
equipment, and how they compare to 800.  This info can also be used for
forensic engineering to help figure out why there is or isn't a problem.

4.	Nextel brought up the idea of running a test in two locations
that could potentially experience interference.  These locations will be
Marietta, Georgia (with the assistance of Cobb EMC and Jackson EMC) and
Phoenix, Arizona (with the assistance of America West Airlines and Pro
Tec Communications).  Nextel engineering and Booth & Associates, Inc.
licensed professional engineers will be jointly developing the test
specification based on Nextel's installation specification for a 900 MHz
iDEN installation.  If the test proves that there is little or no
interference, then there will be some very happy folks.  If there is
significant interference, then there will be some significantly unhappy
folks.  The Marietta test is to occur roughly by the end of March, and
based on the results, the Phoenix test will be scheduled. 

Since this meeting, we have received notification by other 900 MHz
licensees (read: very large industrial corporations) who want to be a
part of this activity.  We have also received some technical information
detailing the possibilities of interference being even higher than what
we had considered.  We are also receiving assistance from radio
manufacturers who are supplying technical information and support
regarding their subscriber radio products.  Yes, this is getting a lot
of attention in a hurry, and we think that the ability to meet and talk
with Nextel is wonderful.  We appreciate the involvement of ITA's Laura
Smith as a go-between, and Nextel's executive management for listening
to our concerns. 

Todd Ellis 

Booth & Associates, Inc. 

Yahoo! Groups Sponsor	

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---

From: "Todd Ellis" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 08:37:36 -0500

No.  I tried to contact them as well as the other ~450 licensees, and didn't
get a call back from that group.  If you have a better contact for their
group, please pass it on.

Todd Ellis

-----Original Message-----
From: Lindsay C. Blanton [mailto:[email-masked]] 
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 9:09 PM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: RE: [NEXTEL-1] RE: Why the interest in 900 MHz all of a sudden?

The LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority) maintains a 900 MHz Wideband (25
Khz channels) wide-area EDACS system in South/South Central Texas.  Many
pubic safety agencies use this mulit-site wide-area system, and I suspect
that this is the ONLY 900 Mhz public safety related system in the United
States.

(Registration Required)

Anyone heard from the LCRA on their stance on Nextel moving into 900 Mhz?

Lindsay

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Marcel [mailto:[email-masked]] 
Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2003 8:06 PM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: [NEXTEL-1] RE: Why the interest in 900 MHz all of a sudden?

-------- Original Message -------- 

From: 

"Todd Ellis" <[email-masked]>

Subject: 

RE:  Why the interest in 900 MHz all of a sudden?

-----Original Message----- 

<snip> 

I agree, that's why we've always had the 900 MHz issue "on the table" with
Nextel, and that's why we're still in the process of working out an
agreement under the Consensus Plan to minimize (if not totally prevent) this
from happening.  However, the engineers from all sides (Nextel, public
safety and private) were working on coming to an agreement for 800 MHz
first, because of the very limited time frame.  Now that we've finalized
finished with the rounds and re-rounds of comments, we can devote engineer
time to 900 MHz (we're also going to work on re-fining Appendix F with
regard to measurement techniques).  In fact, there are a group of 900 MHz
licensees who have already met with Nextel to work on this (I'm not looking
to steal that person's thunder, so if he wants to give you more info, he's
on this board and can step up and say more here). 

</snip> 

1. The 900 MHz Industrial Users Group filed comments with the Commission
that specifically called out the following points; 

*Nextel provide an "interference hot line" telephone number for immediate
notification of interference. 

*If interference is detected or suspected, incumbents provide Nextel with
independent third party assessment of the interference matter.  The
Commission's Enforcement Division should also be served with a copy of the
assessment report. 

*If the interference is not mitigated to the incumbent's satisfaction within
the three days, then the Commission's Enforcement Division will investigate
the complaint immediately. 

*If the interference is confirmed to emanate from Nextel's equipment by the
Enforcement Division representative, the site will be shut down and the
interfering party will be fined substantially in a manner consistent with
the potential revenue losses due to the interference that could be
experienced by the incumbent licensee. 

2. Of course, this was not a popular concept.  We met with Nextel to cover
each point in detail; 

*    The interference hot line idea will be considered along with other
issues for a revised "Best Practices" guideline. 

*    Interference detection is important, as is the proof that it is being
caused, agreed on both sides. 

*    Nextel does not like the idea of a 3-day fix.  Most problems are being
fixed within 2 weeks of notification.  We pointed out that since control of
the sites is generally remote (no hands-on required to move channels or
lower power), that 3 days is still feasible.  It was pointed out that there
are a LOT of sites that need attention too, and that should be considered,
as Nextel engineering isn't sitting around like the Maytag Man waiting for
problems to crop up. 

*    The Enforcement Division's involvement is still seen as instrumental.
The Commission must hold its role as the governmental entity regulating the
bands.  Signing on to the Consensus Plan cannot mean that the signatories
abdicate their ability to utilize the Enforcement Division for interference
problems.  Abdication is simply not a choice. 

3. One thing we talked about was the specifications of 900 MHz equipment,
and how they compare to 800.  This info can also be used for forensic
engineering to help figure out why there is or isn't a problem. 

4. Nextel brought up the idea of running a test in two locations that could
potentially experience interference.  These locations will be Marietta,
Georgia (with the assistance of Cobb EMC and Jackson EMC) and Phoenix,
Arizona (with the assistance of America West Airlines and Pro Tec
Communications).  Nextel engineering and Booth & Associates, Inc. licensed
professional engineers will be jointly developing the test specification
based on Nextel's installation specification for a 900 MHz iDEN
installation.  If the test proves that there is little or no interference,
then there will be some very happy folks.  If there is significant
interference, then there will be some significantly unhappy folks.  The
Marietta test is to occur roughly by the end of March, and based on the
results, the Phoenix test will be scheduled. 

Since this meeting, we have received notification by other 900 MHz licensees
(read: very large industrial corporations) who want to be a part of this
activity.  We have also received some technical information detailing the
possibilities of interference being even higher than what we had considered.
We are also receiving assistance from radio manufacturers who are supplying
technical information and support regarding their subscriber radio products.
Yes, this is getting a lot of attention in a hurry, and we think that the
ability to meet and talk with Nextel is wonderful.  We appreciate the
involvement of ITA's Laura Smith as a go-between, and Nextel's executive
management for listening to our concerns. 

Todd Ellis 

Booth & Associates, Inc. 

Yahoo! Groups Sponsor

ADVERTISEMENT
 
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02:HM/A=1414910/R=0/*http:/ad.doubleclick.net/jump/N879.ameritrade.yahoo/B10
54521.29;sz=300x250;adc=zhs;ord=1046777378788020?> 

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