FCC plans to delay decision, due next month, on which spectrum ba...

in coordination with Commerce’s NTIA. Under Executive Order issued last year by President Bill Clinton, FCC was scheduled to identify spectrum by July and auction licenses by Sept. 30, 2002. Powell told Evans that “as July draws near… it is apparent that additional time is necessary to allow the Commission and the Executive Branch to complete a careful and complete evaluation of the various possible options for making additional spectrum available for advanced wireless services.” Powell also made pitch for delaying auction as well, saying “relief from this deadline would allow all of the governmental entities responsible for U.S. spectrum management to have adequate time to develop a plan to make spectrum available for advanced wireless services in the future.” He told Evans that “the Administration’s support for flexibility on the auction dates would be appreciated.” CTIA Pres. Thomas Wheeler said Powell “made the right decision in delaying the allocation of spectrum in the 1710-1755 and 2110-2150 bands.” He said Powell’s “bold leadership will benefit U.S. consumers, the wireless industry and the U.S. economy by allowing those bands to be incorporated into a larger, long-term spectrum management policy.”