14 DAY TRIAL // Sprint Nextel is in big trouble and in danger of being shut down by FCC if it does not consider its terms on the bands that this network uses. A large number of organizations have encountered problems with this operator's safety radio systems, which could lead to drastic measures from FCC.
The threat is cast upon parts of Sprint Nextel's network , as 2,200 public safety companies have found problems with it. The main issue seems to be that the operator uses the same bands as safety radio systems.
The situation has been present for a long time now, right since Nextel's partnership with Sprint, back in 2005. At that time, the company promised to find a solution for it by giving up frequency bands or helping to modify radio systems. Sprint took upon itself the problem on the new company acquisition and has invested over USD 1 billion since that time. Still, it is not completely solved and FCC threatens to take actions.
Sprint says that the action has been more difficult than previously believed, which is also the main reason for the great amount of time that it took them to reach this point in solving it. FCC's measure concerns only the previous Nextel networks that Sprint took in along with the venture two years ago. This means that Sprint's services will not be affected, although Nextel and Boost Mobile customers may be unable to make calls. This equals about 20 million subscribers that will have to suffer over the issue.
Sprint Nextel makes great efforts to finish rebranding, but also resorts to desperate actions to win some time. The company turned to the US Court of Appeals, seeking not justice, but some stalling for FCC's actions. It's left to see just how much they will manage to do in a few months after two years of insufficient results.