Free Wireless Broadband Plan Expected to Get December FCC Vote
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin seems to be setting up a vote at the Dec. 18 commission meeting on authorizing use of AWS-3 spectrum to offer a free, national broadband service. Democrat Barack Obama’s election virtually sealed the deal for M2Z and other advocates of using the spectrum for free broadband, commission and industry officials said. If Republican John McCain hade won the presidential election, the proposal’s future would have been murkier, they said.
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Obama has made clear that spreading broadband access will be an administration priority. The AWS-3 proposal raised red flags at the White House and other Republican circles. But it could pass with just the votes of Martin and Democratic commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein.
AWS-3 and the new 700 MHz D-block auction attempt are the major wireless items most likely to see action at the Dec. 18 meeting, officials said. Martin asked the other commissioners to weigh in on an options memo on how best to use the AWS-3 spectrum. The choice offered is among the original proposal for a service using 20 MHz of spectrum, a June FCC proposal for a 25 MHz allocation and a more recent Office of Engineering and Technology proposal, also for a 20 MHz allocation. All would authorize the two-way service proposed by M2Z.
AWS-3 lobbying has diminished in recent weeks, as FCC members and other key officials were preparing for last week’s meeting. M2Z reported that its last meeting to argue for the proposal was Oct. 29. The fight over AWS 3 has pitted M2Z and public interest groups against T-Mobile, CTIA and other carriers fearing interference to carriers using the AWS 1 block.
“I'm hearing he definitely wants to move it and he’s got the votes,” a foe of the plan said of the FCC chairman. “Martin wants to get credit for it and not have the credit go to the Democrats in 2009.”
“Last week nobody could focus on anything but all those issues” at the Nov. 4 meeting, said a supporter of the AWS-3 proposal. “The question is, what is there to gain by waiting a month or two?”