0003801143@mcimail.com (Scott Loftesness) (02/21/91)
Just a bit more background on these headlines recently about the FCC creating a third cellular system to compete with the existing cellular carriers (two) in major markets. Specifically what the FCC did last week (Wednesday, February 13th to be exact) was to approve a waiver request submitted originally about a year ago by a company named Fleet Call. Fleet Call is a company that started acquiring Specialized Mobile Radio Service (SMRS) licenses in major markets around the US (the top 6 specifically) a couple of years ago. In those markets, they have accumulated a collection of licenses such that they are typically the major provider of SMRS services. SMR's provide fleet dispatch services (base to many mobiles) to small businesses. SMR's also offer limited telephone interconnect services. Fleet Call's waiver request involved asking the FCC's permission to re-engineer their SMR systems from their typical high-level, high power master sites to multiple, low-level, lower-power master sites (ala a cellular approach) in these major markets. In addition, they asked for approval to use a different (digital) modulation scheme which would provide improved spectrum efficiency while staying within the authorized 25 kHz bandwidth allocated for SMR channels. The SMR channels Fleet Call has are all in the 800 MHz range, by the way, and nestled in between the input and output cellular bands also in the 800 MHz spectrum. A number of issues remain to be addressed before what Fleet Call has could be called a third cellular service. They include, for example, Fleet Call's status as a private (not a common) carrier, somewhat vague rules about telephone interconnection with SMR's, etc. Scott Loftesness W3VS 76703.407@compuserve.com 3801143@mcimail.com sjl@world.std.com w3vs@well.sf.ca.us [Moderator's Note: Mr. Lofesness is the sysop of the new telecommunications forum started on Compuserve. From any Compuserve prompt "GO TELECOM" to reach his SIG. And as an aside, I hope it is developing well for you, Scott! PAT]