WASHINGTON-A comprehensive proposal by European and Arab states covering third-generation mobile phone spectrum and other issues appeared to be disintegrating late last week at the World Radiocommunication Conference in Turkey, a development that is forcing the U.S. delegation to redouble efforts to keep its multiband 3G spectrum plan in play.
When the European-Arab package surfaced at the opening of WRC-2000 May 8 in Istanbul, U.S. Ambassador Gail Schoettler said the accord opened the way for possible European support of a U.S. proposal seeking flexible global use of three bands-698 MHz-960 MHz, 1710 MHz-1885 MHz, and 2500 MHz -2690 MHz-for 3G mobile phone service.
“They [the European Union] are heading in that direction,” Schoettler said last Monday in a teleconference with reporters at the Commerce Department. “I think there’s a lot of agreement with [3G spectrum flexibility] around the world,” said Schoettler.
By Friday, events and signals coming from WRC-2000 indicated otherwise.
Various countries-the Netherlands and Italy in particular-spoke out against the European-Arab proposal, according to an FCC official. Last Friday evening, WRC-2000 delegates were expected to decide whether to move the Europe-Arab states package forward or break out individual policy items for further discussion.
“The objective at WRC-2000 should … be to identify additional frequency ranges on a worldwide basis, from which national administrations may select any additional spectrum needed for their national implementation plans,” stated a group of 29 European and Arabic nations in a May 9 proposal.
Despite that language, which appeared to support U.S. 3G spectrum principles, the EU apparently did not interpret the proposal as an endorsement of the U.S. 3G multiband approach.
“The EU has laid down its position on the whole subject … There’s nothing in writing that we are willing to support the U.S. position,” said EU spokesman Wilfried Schneider.
Heading into WRC-2000, the European Union was lobbying a single frequency band in the 2.5 MHz range for 3G. In the United States, that band is occupied by fixed wireless licensees.
Long distance giants MCI WorldCom Inc. and Sprint Corp. each have invested $1 billion in fixed wireless licenses around the country. At the same time, mobile telephony is key to their future business strategies.
Indeed, MCI WorldCom wants to buy Sprint in large part to acquire the latter’s digital mobile phone network.
Canada and Latin America, for their part, are pushing for additional 3G spectrum at 1.7 GHz. In the United States, the Department of Defense and other federal agencies rely on 1.7 GHz frequencies. However, it’s unclear to what extent the federal government uses the 1.7 GHz band.
Some countries do not want any more spectrum allocated globally for 3G.
Global 3G spectrum harmonization, according to the proponents, will foster international roaming and lower costs for manufacturers, carriers and, ultimately, consumers.
Given the United States wants more global spectrum for 3G in bands currently occupied by government and commercial licensees, the Clinton administration and private sector have agreed to conduct studies to ascertain the potential for sharing and interference.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (a unit of the Commerce Department) is conducting two studies on the 1.7 GHz band and the Federal Communications Commission is examining the 2.5 GHz band. It is unclear how long the studies will to take to complete and how the results might impact what agreements are reached at WRC-2000. U.S. officials say that is precisely why 3G spectrum flexibility is needed.
The stakes at WRC-2000 are enormous for countries and operators, given the billions of dollars being invested in licenses and network construction.
But while the big focus of the conference is on the mobile-phone sector, there is arguably something possibly bigger at stake: global technological leadership of the Internet.
In the future, wireless devices like mobile phones may become the predominant link to the Internet. The technology (and the spectrum it operates over) that triumphs will help determine global high-tech leadership in coming years. Carriers and manufacturers worldwide say they need 160 megahertz for the wireless fat pipe over which voice, data and video services will be provided by 3G mobile phones.
In that regard, the fight for wireless Internet supremacy in the global market will be among a handful of 3G standards approved last week by the International Telecommunication Union. One is wideband Code Division Multiple Access, or W-CDMA, a technology embraced by European Union and major mobile phone makers Nokia Corp. of Finland and L.M. Ericsson of Sweden.
Another standard, cdma2000, is supported by U.S. wireless suppliers Qualcomm Inc. and Lucent Technologies Inc. Motorola Inc., the largest U.S. mobile communications manufacturer, builds mobile phones to all standards.
AT&T Wireless Services Inc., a top U.S. wireless operator, embraces the 3G version of Time Division Multiple Access technology.
That Asia appears to leaning toward a multiband approach may give the U.S. leverage and enough traction to bridge differences among other regions on 3G spectrum harmonization.
The conference, which includes 2,500 delegates from 150 countries, is still in its early stages. Many important decisions are unlikely to be hammered out until shortly before WRC-2000 closes June 2.
The complexities, confusion and fractured nature of the 3G spectrum issue at WRC-2000 makes U.S. wireless firms nervous about an outcome that largely will shape their businesses for years to come.
Shortly before the U.S. delegation left for Istanbul, two Kansas senators directed Schoettler not to endorse any 3G spectrum decision at WRC-2000 that is incompatible with White House and mobile-phone industry objectives.
But everyone in Congress isn’t supporting the U.S. 3G spectrum position.
Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), ranking minority member of the House Commerce Committee, is on record as opposing the identification of the 2.5 GHz band for 3G mobile phone service. He made that point directly in March 30 letters to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, FCC Chairman William Kennard and Commerce Secretary William Daley.
