Partisan rancor Tues. over the House DTV bill revolved around Democratic loathing for the bill’s $990 million DTV converter box subsidy and failure to earmark money for first responders. The brickbats flew in opening statements at the House Commerce Committee mark-up.
Wireless Spectrum Auctions
The FCC manages and licenses the electromagnetic spectrum used by wireless, broadcast, satellite and other telecommunications services for government and commercial users. This activity includes organizing specific telecommunications modes to only use specific frequencies and maintaining the licensing systems for each frequency such that communications services and devices using different bands receive as little interference as possible.
What are spectrum auctions?
The FCC will periodically hold auctions of unused or newly available spectrum frequencies, in which potential licensees can bid to acquire the rights to use a specific frequency for a specific purpose. As an example, over the last few years the U.S. government has conducted periodic auctions of different GHz bands to support the growth of 5G services.
Latest spectrum auction news
AirCell said it’s done testing its in-flight broadband technology, which it says will cost “a fraction of similar systems that use satellites” to install and operate. In-flight broadband competitor Connexion by Boeing, a satellite-based system, said last week it had completed its own tests. AirCell said low-cost U.S. airlines like the idea of in-flight wireless broadband, but find satellite-based systems too costly. If regulators approve, AirCell’s service will launch on U.S. airlines at prices akin to what passengers pay for Wi-Fi on the ground, firm officials said. AirCell would like to market in-flight broadband by 2007, assuming acquisition of a spectrum license from the FCC, they said. The Commission is circulating an order that would set rules for the next air-to-ground auction, to occur Q2 2006, sources at FCC said. Also in the works at the FCC: An Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Services (AMSS) licensing order intended to set the framework for an AMSS licensing regime. The regime is being designed to let satellite broadband and complementary services like in-flight telephony take to the skies without harming fixed satellite services grandfathered in the Ku-band. The AMSS rules will have a direct impact on Connexion by Boeing and competitor ARINC, an in-flight broadband provider that targets private business jets. The comment period after a Feb. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing AMSS rules has closed, and the FCC is assessing its options, an International Bureau spokeswoman said.
The EU’s proposed domain name system (DNS) regulatory regime will stifle the IP community, said NTIA Dir. Michael Gallagher, speaking at a 3G Americas briefing Thurs. “If the EU’s new policy toward the DNS extends to wireless standards, you are probably going to see more and more devices like this in the EU,” he said, showing a big, old “brick” phone.
A draft Senate DTV bill would set April 7, 2009, as the hard transition date for requiring broadcasters to return analog spectrum to the govt., according to a copy of the bill circulated Fri. on Capitol Hill. The bill would put the Dept. of Commerce in charge of subsidies for consumer purchases of converter boxes to allow analog TVs to display digital signals. Commerce also would oversee conversion of low-power TV stations and TV translator stations from analog to digital, follow-through on the Enhance 911 Act of 2004, promotion of emergency communications and aid to coastal states affected by hurricanes. The bill sets Jan. 28, 2008, for the start of licenses of recovered spectrum.
As the FCC finishes rules for the broadband radio service (BRS) and educational broadband service (EBS) bands, the Wireless Broadband Service Providers Assn. (WBSPA) urged the agency to impose strict service build- out requirements on current BRS stakeholders. WBSPA said the rulemaking’s major flaw is “lack of focus” on the “major deficiency of available spectrum resources” for use by future competitive wireless broadband providers. Although “some very limited” usable spectrum is available for such players, it said, none likely will be able to obtain enough spectrum to compete with the band’s incumbent, Sprint Nextel. Sprint Nextel has “simply warehoused” the vast majority of the band’s spectrum “for many, many years -- which it is still doing today,” WBSPA said. That’s the “central reason for the lack of available spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band,” it said. WBSPA urged the FCC to require BRS stakeholders, and “especially those warehousing spectrum,” to adhere to “very strict substantial service benchmarks, beginning 3 years after the effective date of new rules.” If anyone fails to adhere to the service build-out requirements, the spectrum should be reclaimed and auctioned to other entrants, it said: “This is the only way to guarantee this spectrum will be quickly put to the best and highest use.”
Acting on reconsideration, the FCC amended and clarified parts of its 800 MHz rebanding rules. The Commission restated its challenged authority to grant Nextel spectrum rights to 10 MHz in the 1.9 GHz band as part of reconfiguring the band. It declined to change its valuation of spectrum rights in the 1.9 GHz and 800 MHz bands, especially in light of Nextel’s recent merger with Sprint.
The FCC should keep the 2.5 GHz technical rules unchanged, Clearwire told the agency, contrary to those such as the Wireless Communications Assn. seeking reconsideration. “The current rules work and are essential to our continuing to provide service,” Clearwire said. It said it had successfully deployed service in 16 markets using the current rules and plans to deploy in many more this year. “Any change to the existing rules will force us to cease launching service and spend an inordinate amount of time and resources redesigning equipment and system design to no real benefit,” the company said. It said it will work with any party that experiences interference under the current rules. Clearwire also urged the FCC to reject “requests for any restriction on deployment within the 2.5 GHz band prior to the completion of transition should be rejected. Adoption of such rules would serve only to impede deployment of new services to the public.” Clearwire also urged the FCC to require operators and licensees to “make a showing of substantial service” 5 years from the new rules’ effective date to avoid delays of deployment and transition to the new band. It also urged the Commission to “expeditiously auction vacant or defaulted EBS spectrum” and defaulted BTA licenses to “get the spectrum in the hands of those who most value it and would ensure deployment of new services to the public.”
The U.S. wireless telecom services industry has “enormously” contributed to the U.S. economy and needs a hands-off regulatory treatment to maintain a successful growth, speakers said at a CTIA event Mon. to release a study. In 2004, the wireless industry generated $118 billion revenue, and contributed $92 billion to the GDP, said the study by Ovum for CTIA.
The FCC said it reallocated the 2155-2160 MHz band for fixed and mobile services and designated the 2155-2175 MHz band for advanced wireless service (AWS) use. The new AWS spectrum comes in addition to the frequencies already allocated at 1710-1755 MHz/2110-2155 MHz and 2020-2025 MHz/2175-2180 MHz. The FCC also launched a rulemaking on BRS channels 1 and 2 relocation.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Commissioners’ aides suggested the FCC will take a hands-off approach to wireless broadband much as it has with cable modem and DSL. On a CTIA conference panel here late Tues., advisers to Chmn. Martin and Comrs. Abernathy and Adelstein stressed the Commission’s emphasis on regulatory parity and the success it claims from its historically light touch with wireless. But a non-interventionist thrust doesn’t mean the FCC wouldn’t act on social obligations like security, 911 and access for the disabled, or act in response to market failures, said Fred Campbell of Martin’s staff.