Siting struggle: CTIA files amicus brief on behalf of Florida PCS providers

Mobile Phone News,  Nov 17, 1997  by Stephen Bouvet,  Mike Maynard,  John Sullivan,  Ellen B. Mullally

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The personal communications service (PCS) operators are challenging a county ordinance that lays out setback and separation requirements for wireless antenna sites.

According to CTIA, the ordinance makes it "virtually impossible for a PCS licensee to construct a system that effectively provides service to the public." The CTIA filing says that the ordinance violates the telecommunications Act of 1996 by prohibiting personal wireless services in "critical sections" of the Tampa/Orlando market - areas frequented by tourists and business districts.

Separately, in an effort to increase public awareness on the siting issue, CTIA issued a news release saying that every day nearly 60,000 emergency calls reach 900 or other emergency operators from wireless phones. More emergency calls would be placed, the release points out, if there were enough antenna sites to ensure that all emergency calls could be completed. All wireless 911 calls are free to the user. (Jeffrey Nelson, CTIA, 202-736-3207.)

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