Government incumbents are being slow to exit spectrum sold in the...
Government incumbents are being slow to exit spectrum sold in the 2006 advanced wireless services (AWS) auction, top members House Commerce Committee members, including Chairman John Dingell of Michigan and ranking member Joe Barton of Texas, told the administration.…
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The letter marked a victory for T-Mobile, which has been lobbying hard on clearance of the spectrum, which is key to its survival. T- Mobile particularly frets about lagging by the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security. The House members’ letter, sent to Office of Management and Budget Director Rob Portman and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, asks for an update by July 13 on progress toward relocation, with quarterly reports to follow. “We also remind the agencies of their responsibility to coordinate in good faith with AWS licensees prior to relocation,” the letter said: “Bidders who paid the U.S. government billions of dollars for licenses are entitled to make use of these frequencies as long as there is no harmful interference demonstrated.” Also signing were Ed Markey, D-Mass., Fred Upton, R-Mich., Bart Stupak, D- Mich., and Ed Whitfield, R-Ky.