Is there money in frequency coordination / licensing?

[fogster]

I just had occasion to pull up some licenses in the FCC databases, and noticed that a lot of the licenses are being handled by companies, but usually small companies, often from out of state. (Which I find odd.) I though this might be a good place to ask: what gives? Is there good money in this and not many people doing it? What does the job entail?

[nmfire10]

I hate consultants.

[tvsjr]

Yes, there is good money in it.

It commonly involves consultants and lawyers.

As a consultant, I can't say too much.

[aaknitt]

And some of those consultants can be pretty sneaky. They give their companies names that make them sound like government agencies, even though they aren't. Then they charge an arm and a leg for things that are simple, just because they can. One of the leaders of a local fire department is scared to death to touch his FCC license because he's under the impression that it costs $1000 every time you want to make a modification (even a minor one). This is what the consultant charged them last time, and they thought the consultant was the FCC because the name of the company sounded official and they didn't know any better. If you can handle it yourself, you'll save a lot of money. In addition to pure consulting firms, many two-way shops handle licensing for their clients, almost always for a fee.

Andy

[fogster]

Is it a lot of work? Is it mostly just paper-pushing, or does a lot of work go into frequency-coordination?

[aaknitt]

If you're talking public safety, the frequency coordination itself is actually done by a third party....usually APCO. The consultants just take care of filing all of the paperwork and making sure everything is in order.

[escomm]

Yes, there is, if you know what you're doing and you get some big customers behind you.

I know of a couple people here in LA that are utter cashcows for whatever agency handles licensing for them.

Steer clear of EWA (formerly known as DCI-LAO)

They have done a very good job of taking a good thing and running it right into the ground

[Bat2way]

Steer clear of EWA (formerly known as DCI-LAO)

They have done a very good job of taking a good thing and running it right into the ground

EWA, formerly ITA, has been around forever. They aren't formerly known as DCI-LAO. DCI-LAO sold out to EWA.
The short answer to your question is...NO.

[nmfire10]

And some of those consultants can be pretty sneaky. They give their companies names that make them sound like government agencies, even though they aren't. Then they charge an arm and a leg for things that are simple, just because they can. One of the leaders of a local fire department is scared to death to touch his FCC license because he's under the impression that it costs $1000 every time you want to make a modification (even a minor one). This is what the consultant charged them last time, and they thought the consultant was the FCC because the name of the company sounded official and they didn't know any better. If you can handle it yourself, you'll save a lot of money. In addition to pure consulting firms, many two-way shops handle licensing for their clients, almost always for a fee.

^^ Those are the ones I dislike. ^^

Well, and the ones that manage to convince a small agency that using a single conventional ASTRO channel will make them better suited to handle an Al Quida attack.

[thebigphish]

..whomever could you mean?

On the other side of the ball, some radio service shops essentially consider this kind of thing an intangible...and will handle anything and EVERYTHING when it comes to a license, usually for no cost (in terms of a change) to only filing fees for new applications. It is refreshing to still see "customer satisfaction" and "honesty" are still in certain business vocabularies.