Cyren Call Promotes Proposal, Promises New Details
Cyren Call CEO Morgan O'Brien’s spectrum proposal largely could solve America’s broadband access problems and deliver a fully interoperable safety network, he said. On a Hill panel at the New America Foundation, O'Brien said Fri. he'd have more details of the proposal Mon. in a filing with the FCC. It will answer questions about how the company can succeed financially serving public and private needs, he said.
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O'Brien’s plan has stirred a “considerable amount of controversy,” because it threatens “sacred cows,” he said. Its call for 30 MHz of spectrum managed by a trust with a commercial side drew skepticism at a Senate hearing (CD Feb9 p2). Lawmakers often experience “pushback” on new ideas but many safety groups endorse it, he said. He’s continuing to work the halls of Congress to drum up support, he said.
“I'm offended by the tactics of misrepresentation,” O'Brien said of Verizon and CTIA, which he said are working against his proposal. “If Verizon has a better proposal, let’s hear it before it before it’s too late,” he said. He criticized CTIA for scheduling seminar in April on the issue. “This is CTIA’s solution?” he asked. “He can say whatever he wants, but his differences are more with the FCC and Congress,” a Verizon spokesman said of O'Brien.
CTIA worries about a proposal that “seeks to remove spectrum from the auction process,” said Chris Guttman- McCabe, CTIA vp-regulatory affairs. O'Brien has “every intention of running a business,” Guttman-McCabe said. If spectrum were unlimited, “I don’t think this debate would have such vim and vigor,” he said.
Meanwhile, M2Z CEO John Muleta pitched his idea, which would offer a 10 MHz national broadband network, but not using the broadcasters’ 700 MHz band, as Cyren Call would. “Our company promises family friendly wireless broadband access over 10 years,” said Muleta, once FCC Wireless Bureau chief. M2Z’s network would provide free access to public safety, paying the U.S. 5% of gross subscription revenue, he said.
The solution is to fine-tune the auction process, said Free Press Policy Dir. Ben Scott, urging a national policy addressing the transition from dialtone to broadband. The Universal Service Fund (USF) program should be changed to support broadband in that context, Scott said.