16 to 1, But Who’s Counting?

On April 20, the Enterprise Wireless Alliance (EWA) filed an ex parte letter in response to a recent FCC filing submitted by the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA, formerly PCIA) which, for about the fifth time, once again stated its opposition to recommendations of the Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC) that requested providing a time-limited priority access to incumbent 800 MHz licensees to add Expansion Band (EB) and Guard Band (GB) channels to existing systems before opening the spectrum to new entrants. In its filing, WIA stated that it had met with the LMCC, but conveniently failed to mention that all other sixteen (16) LMCC member organizations voted in favor of a filing window for incumbent licensees.  WIA was and remains the sole opponent. 

In its filing, WIA also argued that the LMCC proposal would limit innovation and technological advances in the 800 MHz band, suggesting new entrants would be the only source of innovation. 

In response, EWA President Mark Crosby suggested that:

“Incumbents are as likely to introduce innovation as are new entrants. WIA’s suggestion ignores the track record established by public safety, manufacturing, utility, aviation, pipeline, and other entities that constitute the PLMR community, entities demanding and deploying increasingly efficient and advanced technologies that enable them to provide services to the public and to remain competitive in an increasingly challenging worldwide marketplace. That the 800 MHz Expansion and Guard Bands could become available for licensing is itself the result of technological innovation. EWA urges the Commission to adopt the LMCC recommendation and reject WIA’s singular opposition to it.”