WASHINGTON-Motorola Inc., the top American wireless manufacturer, is internally debating whether it can support what appears will be a weak U.S. position on third-generation mobile phone spectrum at the World Radiocommunication Conference next year.
Motorola, according to sources, is distressed over what it regards as U.S. ambivalence on acquiring more 3G spectrum at WRC-2000, May 8 to June 2, in Istanbul. Others less vocal than Motorola share that view.
There is widespread agreement that at least 160 megahertz of additional spectrum is needed by 2010 to deploy 3G systems, advanced Internet-friendly wireless technology that will need broadband capacity to accommodate voice, high-speed data and video applications.
There appears to be some sentiment that it is unnecessary to secure more frequencies at WRC-2000 if enough 3G spectrum is available for carriers at the turn of the century in the form of 2 GHz personal communications services spectrum (comprising part of the global 3G spectrum allocation) or new stop-gap spectrum (2210-2250 MHz) that federal regulators may earmark for third-generation mobile phone service.
But some think forgoing the opportunity to acquire 3G spectrum at WRC-2000 is a short-sighted perspective that could backfire on the United States, given the four to eight years it would take after the conference to develop technical standards, manufacture radios and base stations and then ship them to customers.
It is a precarious and difficult position for Motorola, which historically has been one of staunchest U.S. supporters in global telecom affairs and, in turn, has reaped benefits from government backing in trade disputes with Japan and others.
But, realizing that a lackluster push for global 3G spectrum at WRC 2000 could have huge implications for a U.S.-based multinational supplier like itself, Motorola sees a need to get its point across without antagonizing policy makers.
Being a multinational firm that builds to different wireless technologies around the globe prompted Motorola to disassociate itself from the highly public battle waged by U.S. suppliers Qualcomm Inc. and Lucent Technologies Inc. against Sweden’s L.M. Ericsson and Finland’s Nokia Corp. over 3G standardization specifically and U.S.-European trade generally.
Motorola and other U.S. wireless firms are said to have been taken aback by the lack of active U.S. participation on 3G issues at a WRC 2000 preparatory meeting several weeks ago in Costa Rica.
Officials from the Federal Communications Commission, Motorola, Lucent and Qualcomm could not be reached for comment.
U.S. wireless firms want to develop a strong, common position on 3G spectrum with their counterparts in Central and South America going into WRC 2000. North and South America comprise one of the regions that receive spectrum allocations at International Telecommunication Union conferences.
Motorola’s characterization of the United States’ reticent position on 3G acquisition at WRC 2000 tends to be supported by official statements made recently by the FCC advisory committee.
The WRC 2000 advisory committee, while acknowledging “an urgent need” for third-generation mobile phone spectrum, appeared to go to great lengths to make the case against a global 3G allocation in a paper issued March 29 by the FCC.
“Even if a global band could be identified, there would be minimal benefit to identifying that spectrum for IMT-2000 unless it was also brought into service globally in a timely way,” the committee stated.
“It has become clear from the work underway in various standards development organizations,” the committee continued, “that many of the second-generation systems will be able to evolve to provide the features and capabilities expected in IMT-2000 and that those systems may operate in spectrum that has not been identified for IMT-2000.”
The WRC-2000 advisory group goes on to say that “only the minimum spectrum necessary should be identified for those applications to reduce the impact on existing services and to encourage the use of more spectrally efficient technologies that can support high data rate services within the minimum frequency bandwidths possible.”
By design or otherwise, the United States appears to be laying the foundation for a strategy that may not include an aggressive push for 3G spectrum and that potentially concedes a huge victory to dominant wireless carriers.
Indeed, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association believes 3G technology can be largely implemented in existing spectrum held by its members.
In contrast, the Personal Communications Industry Association, which represents paging and mobile phone startups, is pressing for additional 3G spectrum.
A Clinton administration source suggested the United States may be reluctant to push for 3G spectrum because doing so might give the advantage to European wireless firms.
