The FCC should ‘enthusiastically embrace’ participation of small ...
The FCC should “enthusiastically embrace” participation of small businesses, known as designated entities (DEs), in the proposed auction of an E-block of the 700 MHz spectrum, said Jonathan Blake, Frontline’s outside counsel. In Frontline’s proposal an E-block nationwide license…
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would be created and the E-block licensee would be required to construct, own, and manage the wireless network to be used by both public safety and commercial participants. Management of the network would include leasing to commercial entities, and that has caused some to question whether that would run afoul of the Commission’s DE rules. An item circulating on the 8th floor wouldn’t waive the DE rules (CD April 10 p5) but a waiver isn’t necessary, wrote Blake in a Tues. letter saying nothing in the “existing rules precludes” DEs from bidding on the E-block. “It would be ironic in the extreme were the Commission to interpret its rules so unduly narrowly as to discourage new entrants” from participating in Frontline’s proposed E-block, said Blake.