Question: FCC complaints

I am looking for information about FCC complaints. Is there any database that lists, for example, complaints that Verizon might have filed with the FCC about other ISP's interference with their wireless or cellular service on the lower east side of Manhattan.

Answer: FCC Complaints

In www.fcc.gov , you can try the "advanced search" under the search box in upper left, but you can also do a fairly complex search in the "easy" search: +nextel +verizon +interference +manhattan , gets 18 hits, like an "April 2, 2004(Via Electronic Filing) by Wiley, Rein, & Fielding LLP, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary Federal Communications Commission 445 Twelfth St., S.W. Washington, DC 20554Re: Notice of Ex Parte Presentation, WT Docket No. 02-55," entitled: "THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION HAS NO AUTHORITY TO AWARD SPECTRUM TO NEXTEL THROUGH A PRIVATE SALE April 1, 2004 Prepared by Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP for Verizon Wireless", This filing has much discussion of this proposed sale, and on page 3 (p.6 of the .pdf navigator) it does mention interference:

"Everyone agrees on the bedrock necessity of protecting public-safety licensees from the harmful interference Nextel is causing. The parties differ, however, on how to accomplish this shared goal. As Verizon and others have shown, the so-called "Consensus Plan" — under which Nextel would surrender low-value spectrum in the 700, 800, and 900 MHz bands, in exchange for high-value blocks of contiguous, unencumbered spectrum at 800 MHz and 1.9 GHz — would confer an enormous $7.2 billion windfall on Nextel. 4 Verizon, like many parties in the two years this docket has been open, has endorsed an alternative plan under which incumbent users would be moved from their current homes in the 800 MHz band, with Nextel, the source of interference, shouldering their relocation costs.5 Nextel would not receive spectrum at 1.9 GHz under this plan...."

It would take quite a bit of plowing through long documents (use the internal Adobe Acrobat pdf binoculars icon to search for names like Verizon or Nextel; or words like interference; CTRL-F does not work consistently) to see if Verizon has done something more recent, regarding Lower East Side Manhattan. There are many more databases and links in the FCC site. Trying a few others, I seem to get back to these same filings that discuss issues of proposed broadband sale or trade.

In Lexis Academic database, General News / NE Sources / past year, the search: verizon, complaint fcc gets 5 hits, including: The New York Times April 9, 2004 Friday Late Edition — Final. Section C; Column 1; Business/Financial Desk; Pg. 4; TECHNOLOGY. LENGTH: 738 words HEADLINE: Verizon Moves to Head Off Nextel in a Spectrum Swap BYLINE: By KEN BELSON (mentions "800-megahertz spectrum, ...complaints that Nextel's use of that spectrum interferes with emergency calls by fire departments and other public safety organizations using the same spectrum.")

Firstgov.gov gets 23 hits on the search: "lower manhattan" AND verizon AND interference, but they seem to be about issues surrounding wireless capacity during 9/11 attacks, for example, "Before the NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Washington, DC 20554. In the Matter of Request for Comment on Energy, Docket No. 010327080-1080-01 (Water, and Railroad Service Providers' Spectrum Use Study) SUPPLEMENTAL COMMENTS OF CINERGY CORPORATION)
(see 9/11 capacity issues under heading III. "ALTERNATIVES TO CINERGY'S COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS ARE NOT ADEQUATE", more than halfway down that long page).

But I suspect there is MUCH more to be found in the FCC site, given enough experience and/or patience with it; so please check back if we need to dig into this further.

Thanks,

Jim Miller
jmiller2@umd.edu