Title
Amendment to 800 MHz Frequency Reconfiguration Agreement.
Body
Recommended Action: Approve the amendment and authorize the Chairman to sign the agreement.
Background: Beginning in early 2000, several public safety agencies in the United States began experiencing disrupted radio transmissions on their 800 MHz trunked radio systems. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the interference was related to Nextel's commercial radio transmitters. In July of 2004, the FCC ruled that Nextel had to surrender certain 800 MHz frequencies to ensure proper public safety. In exchange, the Commission modified Nextel's licenses to provide the right to operate on two 5 MHz blocks in a different part of the spectrum. The FCC felt that the costs associated with this mandate would disproportionately affect public safety agencies because they are generally not-for-profit endeavors.
The FCC required Nextel to pay all costs associated with re-banding and to establish escrow accounts and a letter of credit in the amount of $2.8 billion to ensure adequate funding of relocations costs for other 800 MHz incumbents, and to fund the transition of incumbent users in the 1.9 GHz to comparable facilities. The FCC also approved a Transition Administrator to oversee the administrative and financial aspects of the band reconfiguration, provide accountability to the process and ensure that band reconfiguration was achieved with minimal disruption to public safety entities.
This amendment addresses a fee amendment for the Transition Administrator assigned to Sedgwick County.
Alternatives: Deny the request.
Financial Considerations: There are no cost considerations for Sedgwick County. Through the rebanding mandate issued to Sprint/Nextel, the FCC required a “Transition Agent” to oversee and track the rebanding process. The law firm of Shulman Rogers was selected for this region.
The amendment we are signing verifies that the additional work done by Shulman Rogers on our behalf...
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