FCC Sets Tuesday Vote on Auction Rules
Published July 27th, 2007
After months of intense lobbying by the technology and telecom industries, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will vote Tuesday on the rules for the January 700MHz spectrum auction. The auction is expected to bring as much as $20 billion to the federal coffers.
The spectrum is highly prized for its ability to deliver wireless broadband and other advanced services. Since Congress last year ordered television broadcasters to clear the spectrum by early 2009 as part of the digital television transition, who will bid on the airwaves and under what conditions have been the source of considerable speculation.
Incumbent carriers like AT&T, Verizon and Sprint once thought they would have the best shot at the spectrum in a high-bid, winner-take-all auction. But FCC Chairman Kevin Martin startled the incumbents earlier this month by circulating draft auction rules calling for an open-access platform for a third of the spectrum for sale.
“The upcoming auction provides a rare chance to promote a more open platform without disrupting existing networks or business plans,” Martin said Tuesday at a U.S. House hearing on the sale.
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