WhyDom

The upcoming 700 Mhz auction keeps heating politically. This should be a good sign as in the past the voices of wireless commentators without very large company backing were ignored and politicians left the auctions to the expertise of the FCC.   This auction is different from prior auctions because a) television stations are aware of it as they are giving up 700 Mhz spectrum and b) America tires of another auction with similar winners. 

Commissioner Adlestein weighed in last week at NxTCom by publicly diverging in advance of the rulemaking proceeding and declared that the winner of the spectrum should be required to provide part of the spectrum as a wholesale provider just like the Bells provided copper loops at wholesale to CLECs (until the CLECs started taking market share and then the FCC backed down on this requirement stranding the CLECs who had invested in DSL).  Presidential candidate John Edwards in an open letter announced his support for rulemaking that would increasing broadband penatration in rural (New Hamsphire and Iowa) and urban areas and “unleash the potential of smaller new entrants.” 

Presidential hopeful Senator McCain also provided his opinion in a June 12, 2007 letter addressed to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.   Senator McCain urged the FCC to consider his recently filed legislation S. 744, “Spectrum Availability for Emergency-Response Law Inforcement Vital Emergency Services Act” ( a long name for SAVES-LIVES) which requires the FCC bid the spectrum as a “conditional license” setting aside portion of the 700 Mhz spectrum for law enforcement and creating a public-private group to develop the law enforcement spectrum and ensure interoperatibility between private and public.  

Not to be outdone, Senator John Kerry sent a letter to the FCC on the same day focused on not public safety but ensuring that the 700 Mhz auction be used to create broadband competition pointing out the 60% of US homes do not subscribe to high speed internet because of price or availability.   He noted that DSL and Cable serve 96% of high speed homes and that another third technology is needed and that the FCC should consider rulemaking that would create a third set of broadband providers and not merely augment existing wireless.