WASHINGTON-While the mobile-phone industry knew from the start it faced an uphill battle to convince the U.S. government to embrace a multiband spectrum harmonization approach for third-generation technology at next month’s conference in Turkey, carriers and vendors perhaps did not count on opposition from a small trade association of fixed broadband wireless companies whose influence is being felt in the 3G debate specifically and telecom policy-making generally these days.
Members of the Wireless Communications Association International hold fixed wireless broadband licenses in a variety of frequencies, including the 2500 MHz band that mobile-phone firms want for 3G deployment.
WCA signed onto the 3G spectrum harmonization plan after concessions from the Clinton administration that call for spectrum sharing/interference studies that have yet to be spelled out. Making the U.S. position even shakier is the fact that it lacks strong support around the world.
Indeed, the U.S. position on 3G spectrum for the World Radiocommunication Conference 2000 was rejected last month in Argentina at a key meeting of industry officials and telecom regulators from North, Central and South America. WRC runs May 8 to June 2 in Istanbul.
Andrew Kreig, president of WCA, plays down the trade group’s role in countering mobile-phone carriers’ and manufacturers’ push for 3G global spectrum harmonization.
“I think on that particular issue, the companies that have the most stake in the matter are largely making their own filings and taking a lead in the discussion,” said Kreig, a lawyer and former journalist who joined WCA as vice president in 1993.
Two of WCA’s largest members are merger-minded MCI WorldCom Inc. and Sprint Corp. Overall, WCA represents the lion’s share of fixed broadband wireless licensees in the United States.
Even though MCI WorldCom wants to buy Sprint-in large part to fill a wireless void by acquiring Sprint’s personal communications services licenses across the country-both firms are resisting efforts to identify the 2500 MHz band for 3G at WRC-2000.
Why? MCI WorldCom and Sprint last year invested $1 billion each in multichannel multipoint distribution service (MMDS) licenses. Originally, MMDS was touted as a competitive video technology.
But now, Sprint, MCI WorldCom and others believe fixed broadband wireless spectrum can be leveraged to bring competitive local telephone service and high-speed Internet service to consumers and businesses.
Telecom policy-makers, painfully aware that little local telecom competition has materialized since the 1996 telecom act was enacted, are taking notice of fixed broadband wireless telecom’s
potential to give the Baby Bells, GTE Corp. and other local wireline monopolies something to worry about.
“Sprint and MCI have been sending delegates to international meetings and plan to attend the World Radiocommunication Conference in Turkey to advocate what they think should be the best policies, which in this case is support for the U.S. position. The WCA has joined the consensus in support of the U.S. position,” said Kreig.
The United States, according to a government source, was expected last week to send its final 3G spectrum position to the Geneva-based International Telecommunication Union, the global spectrum manager.
WCA’s influence is not limited to the 3G spectrum harmonization issue. The trade group and its members also will weigh in at WRC-2000 on interference protection for fixed wireless broadband users at 39 GHz.
The association is actively involved in various regulatory proceedings on telecom competition at the Federal Communications Commission as well.
On Capitol Hill, WCA is lobbying for passage of bills that would give fixed broadband wireless carriers access to government and nongovernment buildings. But real estate firms have countered with a strong lobbying effort of their own. That dynamic, and the fact it is a presidential election year, makes it unlikely that either the House or Senate will vote on building telecom access legislation this year.
“They (real estate firms) have a potential to be a gatekeeper to consumers and extract a toll that’s a windfall,” said Kreig.
“It is a complex issue,” stated Kreig, “and it forces members of Congress to put some substance behind the general pro-competition mantle that all of us like to wear. It forces people to make some hard choices amongst different constituencies. And yet, if the ’96 [telecom] reform act is to really fulfill its promise, some of these choices have to be made.”
WCA’s rise comes at a time when the Personal Communications Industry Association is reaching out to other prospects, like fixed wireless firms and wireless Internet companies.
PCIA has 30 fixed broadband wireless members, but lacks such big names as Winstar Communications Inc., Teligent Inc. Nextlink Communications Inc. and Advanced Radio Telecom.
All are members of WCA. Kreig has increased membership 50 percent since becoming WCA president in 1997. All told, WCA has 285 fixed broadband wireless members.
Is a WCA-PCIA merger in the cards?
It does not appear so, though Kreig said WCA works with PCIA and other organizations on different issues of common interest.
“One of the ways to be effective is to work through coalitions. But we feel we’re best able to understand the particular needs of our members and that to blur the lines too much and to be all things to all people is not that effective,” said Kreig.
