FCC Resolves 800 MHz Dispute

The FCC has sided with the city of Rockland (NY) in a dispute the town was having with Sprint Nextel of 800 MHz rebanding. The city operates a single-channel pair on 800 MHz for mobile data, and their license makes them secondary to adjacent channel licensees, since Rockland is using offset frequencies. Sprint Nextel said they weren’t obligated to retune the system since it’s secondary, the city said it was, and they couldn’t reach a negotiated or mediated agreement. Now the FCC said its rebanding rules do include such a secondary frequency situation, that Sprint Nextel must pay for rebanding, and told the Transition Administrator to convene a meeting to negotiate a resolution.