Sprint Makes Case for 800 MHz Waiver in Arizona
Sprint defended its waiver request to begin operation on old National Public Safety Planning Advisory Committee (NPSPAC) spectrum previously used by public safety entities in the Phoenix area. The FCC hasn't declared the 800 MHz rebanding “completed” in the area…
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so Sprint said it needs a waiver from the FCC Wireless Bureau to deploy LTE in the spectrum. Maricopa County, Arizona, which includes Phoenix and 24 other cities and towns, objected, saying it hasn't completed the 800 MHz rebanding and continues to experience some interference on the new frequencies it's using as part of a transition out of the old frequencies. Giving Sprint access to the spectrum “would eliminate the option to temporarily revert back to Maricopa’s old spectrum, should such action become necessary,” the county said. “More importantly, the addition of another potential interferor could cloud the ability to accurately determine the cause of the currently experienced interference.” Sprint told the FCC it has general support in Arizona for the waiver, except from Maricopa County. “Maricopa’s Comments indicates it is experiencing interference on its new replacement frequencies and despite working with technical experts at Sprint, Verizon, its consultant and its vendor, Motorola, the exact cause is still undetermined,” Sprint said in reply comments. “In fact, the impacts to the Maricopa system have not been witnessed by Sprint. Because the interfering signals Maricopa is experiencing on its system are irregular, intermittent and on specific frequencies impacting only Maricopa … it does not appear to be related to any broadband commercial operations of Sprint or Verizon.” Comments were filed in docket 16-295.