FCC Wireless Bureau granted extension to Dec. 31, 2002, from Aug....

FCC rules require 900 MHz MTA licensees to provide coverage to at least 1/3 of licensed area within 3 years and at least 2/3 within 5 years. Licensees also can demonstrate after 5 years that they are providing substantial service. FCC granted most of specialized mobile radio licenses in that band after 1996 auction, meaning 5- year construction date for most licenses is Aug. 12. Top 3 bidders were Geotek, Nextel and Paging Network, although Geotek and PageNet subsequently filed for bankruptcy. Nextel and Neoworld then acquired MTA licenses from Geotek. PageNet later merged with Arch Wireless, which filed for FCC approval to assign former PageNet licenses to Nextel. Bureau granted approval of that transaction Fri., as well. Neoworld told FCC in waiver request it wanted to use licenses for national digital dispatch system but it couldn’t obtain equipment by Aug. 12 deadline. Bureau declined declaratory ruling for Neoworld on substantial service demonstration. Nextel, which holds 379 licenses in 900 MHz band, had told FCC it could build analog facilities to meet Aug. 12 construction deadline, but such nondigital systems would run counter to public interest. Extension was needed because of lack of 900 MHz digital voice network equipment, Nextel said. It said more time also would allow it to integrate 900 MHz spectrum into its existing national 800 MHz network and enable it to roll out pico cell technology to ease interference between 800 MHz commercial operations and nearby public safety systems. Bureau said it was in public interest to grant extension to all 900 MHz MTA licensees because carriers planned to introduce advanced digital systems but equipment wouldn’t be commercially available in enough volume to meet 5-year construction deadline.