First Response Coalition Attempts to Disrupt 800MHz Consensus Plan, Say Public Safety Groups

According to public safety groups, a coalition, calling itself the "First Response Coalition," has made contact with members of the fire service in an effort to disrupt the progress that has been made with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to resolve the 800 MHz interference issue. During the month of August 2004, the First Response Coalition sent correspondence to people nationwide, including police and fire organizations, urging them to take action that would prevent the FCC order from being implemented. (For details about the order, read below.)

Over the past five years, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) has worked closely with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), National Sheriffs' Association (NSA), and Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO) to solve the increasing problem of radio interference in the 800 MHz public safety band. The main cause of the interference comes from cellular type carriers such as Nextel that operate in the 800 MHz band.

The First Response Coalition appears to be comprised of a mix of people and organizations -- several individuals with a background in emergency services and six organizations as "concerned groups." They are: the Gray Panthers, American Legislative Exchange Council, National Black Police Association, National Black Chamber of Commerce, American Corn Growers Association, and the California Seniors.

Per the IAFC, this coalition has not been involved over the past five years in attempts to solve the issue. IAFC says the Coalition does not offer a reasonable solution to the problem. Moreover, the First Response Coalition proposal would most certainly result in additional delay causing first responders to remain in jeopardy when their radios don't work.

IAFC is urging first responders to not support the First Response Coalition and to continue to strongly support the FCC order.

Background on the 800 MHz Interference Proceeding

IAFC, IACP, NSA and APCO, in cooperation with Nextel and private license holders in the 800 MHz band, developed a plan known as the Consensus Plan to resolve the interference problem.

On July 8, 2004, after a thorough two-year national debate and intense lobbying against the Consensus Plan (primarily by the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) and competitors of Nextel such as Verizon Wireless and Cingular Wireless) the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously to adopt the Consensus Plan, with some modifications, that were developed and supported.

Two main benefits offered by the FCC decision are as follows:

1. Adopts a new 800 MHz band plan that addresses the root cause of the interference problem by separating generally incompatible technologies, with the costs of relocating 800 MHz incumbents (including public safety) to be paid by Nextel. Importantly, the FCC imposed no cap on Nextel's obligation to retune public safety licensees to carry out the realignment plan and eliminate this dangerous interference.


2. Results in an additional 4.5 MHz of 800 MHz band spectrum, the equivalent of 90 additional two-way channels, becoming available to public safety and critical infrastructure users.

To accomplish this, the FCC will require Nextel to give up rights to certain of its licenses in the 800 MHz band and all of its licenses in the 700 MHz band. In exchange, the FCC will modify Nextel's licenses to provide the right to operate on two five-MHz blocks in a different part of the spectrum at 1.9 GHz. The FCC has determined that the overall value of the 1.9 GHz spectrum that Nextel will get is $4.8 billion, and Nextel will have to spend at least this amount to complete 800 MHz realignment or pay the difference to the U.S. Treasury. This is a significant cost to Nextel and clearly the FCC has not given away spectrum. The FCC's decision assures that public safety licenses incur no cost, that interference is fixed and that public safety gets additional 800 MHz spectrum.

Most of the opponents of the Consensus Plan such as the CTIA and Cingular have now indicated they will not oppose the FCC order and will support the public safety solution. However, Verizon Wireless has indicated it will likely bring a legal challenge to the FCC order. In addition to Verizon Wireless, the only other noticeable opposition to the FCC order comes from the recently formed First Response Coalition.