WASHINGTON-The long-awaited publication in the Federal Register of the Federal Communications Commission’s plan to solve public-safety interference in the 800 MHz band occurred Nov. 22.
Publication starts the 75-day clock for Nextel Communications Inc. to say whether it will accept or reject the plan. The deadline is Feb. 7. The FCC recently extended this deadline from 30 days since the commission is seeking comment on various clarifications sought by Nextel. These comments are now due Thursday. Other FCC-set deadlines were also changed, but the clock is now ticking.
Since it is law, parties opposing the 800 MHz plan have 30 days to ask for reconsideration or 60 days to go to the appeals court. Verizon Wireless, a consistent critic of the plan, recently said it has no plans to oppose it.
Nextel said publication is one more step in the process, and it plans to continue to work with public safety and the FCC to resolve its outstanding issues.
The FCC in July adopted a plan to solve the interference problem, swap some spectrum with Nextel and have Nextel pay to move other companies off the spectrum Nextel would receive. The FCC released the text of the plan-256 pages-in early August.
