In move seen as freeing up advanced wireless spectrum, CTIA Pres....

blueprint released Mon. said Administration planned to propose legislation to streamline current process for reimbursing govt. agencies that were relocated from spectrum auctioned to commercial users. Proposal would create relocation trust fund from receipts of spectrum auction that would directly reimburse agencies for relocation costs. Wheeler said that would cover 1710-1755 MHz already reallocated to nongovt. from govt. users. Wheeler said trust fund also could cover relocation expenses linked to 1755-1770 MHz now occupied by DoD and under consideration for advanced wireless services. Budget said proposed policy change also would affect reimbursement procedures for 1710-1755 MHz, for which White House has proposed moving auction deadline to 2004 from 2002. “This is something that we have been championing for some time,” Wheeler said at Tues. media lunch. Absence of trust fund of that nature has been “stumbling block” in spectrum policy on how necessary relocations would be compensated, Wheeler said. “It’s the first time that an Administration has stood up and said ‘here’s how we do this,'” he said. Balanced Budget Act of 1997 had stipulated 1710-1755 MHz should be reallocated from govt. to nongovt. users. CTIA officials said Tues. that 1755-1770 MHz now occupied by military also could be covered by trust fund under language in budget. That 15 MHz of spectrum is under study at DoD for possible options for military users relocating for commercial wireless operations and Pentagon recommendation is expected to be sent to NTIA shortly. Administration took off table last fall most of 1755-1850 MHz band occupied by DoD that had been under consideration for 3G and other advanced wireless operations. Govt. revised assessment of 3G to focus on potential use of 1710-1770 MHz and 2110-2170 MHz. Wheeler outlined ways in which commercial wireless operators could operate at 1755- 1770 MHz without disrupting military capabilities. DoD uses 1761 to 1842 MHz for satellite systems that provide uplinks for tracking, telemetry and control. Wheeler said from 1761- 1770 MHz, commercial operators could redesign wireless networks to share spectrum in plan that would prohibit base stations and allow only low-power handsets that operate at power levels too low to cause interference. Fixed microwave systems also operate in band that CTIA said are similar to commercial point-to-point systems that commercial wireless industry successfully relocated for PCS. Solutions for these operations include frequency sharing and coordination that would be paid for by Administration’s spectrum relocation fund. For tactical radio relay systems that operate in 1755- 1770 MHz, these systems operate in pieces throughout 1710- 1850 MHz and are tunable, CTIA said. Solutions here could reflect those that military uses in international deployments, including geographical separation in remote areas, tuning to above 1770 MHz if needed and relocation and upgrade that trust fund also could pay for. CTIA Senior Vp- Govt. Relations Steve Berry said reimbursement is structured to be broad enough to include upgraded equipment and other costs such as retraining because DoD can identify all costs connected to moving out of spectrum. Current reimbursement process is very strict and doesn’t allow for enhancement of capabilities, he said.