National Emergency Number Assn. (NENA) questioned whether Nextel ...

Phase 2 implementation deadlines. In waiver request, Nextel proposed contributing $25 million over 2 years to help public safety community upgrade facilities to process Phase 2 location information. NENA said last week that its executive board still was gathering information on proposal. But it said it believed that grant of operating funds from NENA or Assn. of Public- Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO) “would call to question the independence of each organization’s FCC and regulatory representation function on wireless and radio spectrum issues currently and in the future.” NENA said direct grants from wireless carriers to NENA, APCO or related organization “may jeopardize the ability of public safety to speak in an independent and objective manner in the long term.” Both groups could have regulatory positions in future that conflicted with stance of Nextel and other carriers in FCC proceedings, NENA said. “This concern extends to foreseeable radio spectrum issues, as well as the current wireless Phase 2 process that is still fully open and likely to have more issues requiring public safety advocacy,” it said. Group also said it didn’t want to “discourage” Nextel or others from contributing funds to public safety organizations. Instead, it said, it wants parties to create “completely neutral and detached governmental recipient” of funds, such as USTA. That could serve as “granting organization” for funds that Nextel and others would donate, NENA said. Nextel spokeswoman said carrier made $25 million offer to help public safety agencies with E911 implementation “in good faith.” She said: “We are in the early stages of talking to all public safety organizations as to how best to go about implementing this. We have every intention of working cooperatively.”