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News & Events
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Press Releases
For Immediate Release
800 MHz Transition Administrator
c/o Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP
8000 Towers Crescent Drive, 14th Floor
Tyson’s Corner, VA 22182-2700 |
Contact: Bryan Cloar
Phone: 1-888-800-8220
E-mail: comments@800TA.org |
800 MHz Transition Administrator Announces Mandatory Negotiations for Wave 1 Stage 1
September 27, 2005, Washington, D.C. - 800 MHz Transition Administrator, LLC ("TA") today announced that the three-month mandatory negotiation period for Wave 1, Stage 1 licensees will commence on September 27, 2005 as previously scheduled in the Regional Prioritization Plan (RPP). The RPP defines four "Waves" or groupings of NPSPAC regions to be reconfigured, with two stages in each Wave.
"Wave 1" licensees are in the National Public Safety Planning Advisory Committee ("NPSPAC") regions covering areas including much of the Northeastern United States, Northern California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Colorado and regions around the greater Chicago area. "Stage 1" licensees are also known as Channels 1-120 licensees, and currently operate in the 806-809 MHz/851-854 MHz band.
During the reconfiguration program, each affected 800 MHz licensee is required to negotiate with Sprint Nextel a Frequency Reconfiguration Agreement ("FRA") that governs the terms of that licensee’s reconfiguration, subject to the TA’s review. An FRA would include agreed-upon activities and costs for internal personnel and third-party vendors, the overall timeframe, payment terms, and filing of FCC applications. Sprint Nextel is required to pay the reasonable and prudent costs of a licensee’s reconfiguration.
If the parties have not executed an FRA by December 26, 2005, they will enter into mediation as of December 27, 2005, as defined by the TA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Plan (available on the TA’s website at http://www.800ta.org/content/PDF/policy/ADRPlan.pdf). If this mediation also does not result in a reconfiguration agreement, the TA is required to refer the matter to the FCC for resolution.
During the mandatory negotiation period, the parties have an obligation to negotiate in the utmost good faith. The TA, upon the request of either party, can act as a "conduit" to transmit information and provide assistance in communicating with the other party. Any FRA negotiated by the parties shall be subject to the approval of the TA, and the TA, in its discretion, may direct a TA Mediator to mediate negotiations between the parties if either party requests mediation, or if the TA concludes that the parties are otherwise unlikely to negotiate an FRA by the end of mandatory negotiations. To learn more about reconfiguration and the RPP, or to identify the assigned "Wave" for a given licensee or call sign, please visit the TA website at www.800TA.org.
About the 800 MHz Transition Administrator
800 MHz Transition Administrator, LLC ("TA LLC") is the Transition Administrator ("TA") for the reconfiguration of the 800 MHz band mandated by the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC"). TA LLC has contracted with BearingPoint, Inc., Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P. and Baseline Telecom, Inc. to perform the duties of the TA. Among its duties, the TA establishes reconfiguration guidelines, specifies replacement channels, reviews reconfiguration cost estimates, monitors payment of reconfiguration costs, manages the relocation schedule, facilitates issue resolution and administers the alternative dispute resolution process. TA LLC uses information it receives solely for the purposes of administering the 800 MHz reconfiguration process and may disclose such information to the FCC or other authorized parties pursuant to the requirements of the 800 MHz Order or other applicable laws.
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