A spectrum auction markup may happen next week in the House Communications...

committee announced its failure Monday (CD Nov 22 p2). The Commerce Committee didn’t comment. Wireless industry groups lamented the super committee’s failure as a lost opportunity to authorize voluntary incentive auctions. “The wireless industry’s need for additional spectrum is well documented,” said CTIA Vice President Jot Carpenter. “If the supercommittee process doesn’t provide a path to addressing our need for more spectrum, then there are other vehicles available that will ensure our members can access unused or underutilized spectrum and meet consumers’ demand for wireless broadband services.” The Wireless Communications Association is disappointed in the super committee’s failure, WCA President Fred Campbell said. “Failing to adopt spectrum legislation this year would be a significant blow to mobile broadband providers.” Carpenter said in an interview he is optimistic Congress will find a vehicle for spectrum in December or early next year. But he said he doesn’t believe it’s “realistic” to attach it to an appropriations omnibus, as some have suggested, because of procedural hurdles. The spectrum legislation is not a spending bill so there is a “question of germaneness” linking it to appropriations, Carpenter said. In addition, Republicans may object to using the omnibus because the additional revenue from spectrum could be used to increase the size of the spending bill, he said. While there have been attempts, spectrum auctions historically have never made the cut on an appropriations bill, he added.