WASHINGTON-Cingular Wireless L.L.C. became the second national mobile-phone carrier to back off from opposing a government plan to reconfigure frequency assignments of Nextel Communications Inc. and others to eliminate interference to police, fire and medics operating radio systems at 800 MHz.
Cingular on Dec. 7 abruptly withdrew comments filed only days earlier criticizing Nextel’s request to reduce the amount of money-hundreds of millions of dollars-it will cost the Reston, Va., carrier to relocate operations in the new 800 MHz band alignment. Nextel has been sharply criticized by other mobile-phone carriers for winning rights to 1.9 GHz spectrum valued at billions.
Cingular declined to comment on why it reversed course.
Last month, Verizon Wireless said it would not continue to protest the FCC’S 800 MHz decision.
Nextel has until Feb. 7 to accept the FCC re-banding plan.
