There will be no class next Monday.
There are plans to schedule a bus to Newton for the Business and Government Group.
Why are we looking at Newton? It has high traffic arteries, including the Mass Turnpike, Route 9, State Highway 128, and the Green line. Additional areas of interest include the shopping district and the BC football stadium which has a capacity of 60,000 people. Along the old railroad, churches were constructed. At least two of these already house hidden antennas.
Why Arlington? Again, there are high traffic arteries, including 128, Route 2, and Mass Ave.
We looked at zoning, assesed values, and topographic maps of Newton. We noted that some of the highest valued properties are on hills which block signals from antennas on the plains but are ideal locations for antennas.
Currently, the only people who can build antennas by right in Newton are amateur radio operators. Cell phone use is growing by 25% annually. Cellular service providers are eager to erect more antennas to meet this demand. The going rate to erect an antenna on someone else's property is $2000 / month plus the cost of installation. There are some 1300+ feet tall TV and radio antennas in Newton near the Needham border.
Group Objectives
Technical Group- Find out how many antennas will be needed. How tall will they need to be? AT&T intends to start out with 8 and may later increase that number up to 50. Learn and be able to clearly explain how waves propagate. What will the intensity of a signal be at a given distance? Examine the feasability of adding cellular capabilities to existing antennas and structures.
Business & Government- Find out what companies are intending to provide services in Newton or Arlington. Expect up to two cellular services and six PCS. Consider consulting the FCC and the Ericsson web pages. Determine how many sites will be needed now, in 5 years, in 10 years. Where will these sites be? NextWave has won space on a BTA C auction. They intend to operate as a wholesaler primarily in high use zones and will lease out lines. MCI has already agreed to use their services. AT&T wants to operate all over Newton.
Health & Safety- Determine the effects of electromagnetic radiation. How much exposure is safe? What are the laws concerning the issue? Should signs be put up (near antennas) explaining how much exposure is safe?
Mary T. Feeney, University Attorney, spoke to the class about federal, state, and local controls of wireless communications. She provided three handouts: her notes outlining regulations, a FCC fact sheet concerning wireless tower siting, and a Cellular FAQ.
The zoning issue is more difficult with antennas since they are not typical structures. The conventional division of a city into districts can pose problems. For example, an area acceptable for a church may not be acceptable for an antenna, even if it is hidden, since it is not a commercial zone.
The Communications Act of 1934 consolidated wireless regulations and asserted the federal governments control over wireless communications. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 included regulations concerning wireless siting policies.
FCC license grants are administered in a multiple round auction system.
The Department for Public Utilities (DPU) can exempt a company from local zoning controls. Celluar service providers have had mixed success with being recognized as public service companies.
In response to an earlier question, Section 201 of the 1934 Communications Act was provided which, in sum, states that common carriers must provide service to anyone who makes a reasonable request. For example, a (local) common carrier must allow AT&T to use the common carrier's lines to complete a long distance call.
Owners of PCS licenses do not have to report the construction of antennas, though they may need to aquire building permits.
Local Concerns When Determining Regulations:
Patrick Bose was appointed Secretary and Chair of the Technical Group. Michael Chang was appointed Chair of the Health & Safety Group. David Ewing was appointed Chair of the Business & Government Group. These positions will rotate regularly.
Patrick Bose, February 10, 1997.
bose@fas.harvard.edu
121 Winthrop Mail Center
Cambridge, MA 02138-7531
(617) 493-3259
http://fas-www.harvard.edu/~bose