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Nextel and FCC Swap Bandwidth
evilninja writes "Techweb is reporting on the sale of 10MHz worth of bandwidth to Nextel by the FCC. One term of the agreement will solve a problem that has been frustrating the FCC for some time. Nextel will return some of their bandwidth to the public domain, since it has been interfering with local emergency channels in some areas."
So the FCC couldn't just force Nextel to stop useing the bandwidth that was used for emergeny channels?
ReachInternet.com Wireless, Campus Area Networks, Office Networking.
...it hertz.
The spectrum is a public trust and if the FCC can eliminate the interference without killing off the company that they issued the origional spectrum to they should. Verizon is stupid for demanding that the spectrum be auctioned to the highest bidder because Nextel and the FCC are doing what is in the publics best interest.
There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
Who needs emergency cha- wait, where the hell did that tornado come from...
If you have to ask, you'll never know.
I don't think this part of the spectrum is in the "public domain" as if anyone can use it. More accurately, it's been returned to the highly regulated, unaassigned pool of the spectrum.
What happens to Nextel customers with phones that operate on the frequencies that they just sold back to the feds? Do the customers now "get to" buy a new phone from Nextel (with a new two year service contract, I assume)? If so, it sounds like a windfall for Nextel.
The issue here is simple: if the current allocation of frequencies is cutting into emergency services, then that needs to be fixed.
The FCC was debating letting Nextel reorganize the 800MHz band in return for their slice. This no doubt pissed off all their competitors who had to pay millions for their GHz freqs.
Usefull links:
Slashdot: FCC to Reorganize 800 band.
FCC Options and Alternatives for 800 band
In nature, there are neither rewards or punishments, there are only consequences.
That would be against the Constitution, you know, that pesky little document that is the supreme law of the land. In Ammendment 5 it declares "nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." This is why you are paid if a city emmenent domains your house to build a highway. They'd much rather just force you out and not have to pay. That would be better for the public good, since it wouldn't require using taxpayer dollars to pay for your house. Rather unfair to you, hence why Ammendment 5 is in there.
Well, same basic protections apply to corperations. When they buy something, be it land, or slices of RF, they expect that it then belongs to them. Now they can face emmenent domain too, but just like individuals, they need to be compensated. If you get down to it, it's just basic kindergarden level concepts of fairness. You don't take something from someone without giving them something in return.
And trust me, you don't want a government that can just take shit for "the public good" because that WILL get abused.
Federal regulators said that they would vote next week on a proposal aimed at resolving problems with cellphone interference in police and fire communications systems. According to an agenda released, the FCC vote will come at the agency's monthly meeting. Nextel Communications is largely blamed for causing the interference. Radios used by police, firefighters and other first responders broadcast on the same 800 Mhz spectrum as Nextel phones. So, if a radio dispatch is made at 850 Mhz near a cell tower broadcasting at 851 Mhz, the radio signal can be drowned out. The commission is expected to approve a Nextel backed plan in which the company would abandon some of its airwaves in exchange for more lucrative spectrum in a band that won't disrupt the radio communications of emergency officials. Nextel would be relocated to more valuable spectrum in the 1.9 Ghz frequency range, where most other cellular companies operate. Nextel's competitors, Verizon and Cingular Wireless, have staunchly opposed the move.
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