McDowell Addresses 800 MHz Issues in Mexico Visit

On a visit last week to Mexico FCC Comr. McDowell met with top communications officials there about 800 MHz cross- border issues, sources said. One said the meetings led to “really substantial discussions.” McDowell met with Undersecy. for Communications Rafael del Villar, counterpart to the U.S. NTIA dir., and with Hector Osuna, chmn. of COFETEL, Mexico’s FCC, as well as with COFETEL Comrs. Jose Luis Peralta Higuera and Ernesto Gil Elorduy.

The meetings preceded FCC staff-level meetings in Mexico and a visit there by President Bush. Bilateral staff-level discussions on 800 MHz rebanding have occurred for 2 years with little progress, sources said Mon.

Cross-border issues have been deemed among the toughest topics as the 800 MHz Transition Administrator, Sprint Nextel and safety groups implement a landmark 2004 FCC rebanding order. With a June 2008 deadline to finish 800 MHz rebanding, the trip sought to energize the process, sources said.

Robert Gurss, dir.-legal and govt. affairs at the Assn. of Public-Safety Communications Officials, welcomed the high level meetings. “The border issue is a real significant issue that has to be addressed,” he said: “It needs to get resolved as quickly as it can.”