FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell is monitoring the wireless industry’s bill-shock...

made, but he’s “delighted if industry feels as if it’s found a solution.” McDowell cautioned that right now it’s only an announcement: “Putting it into practice is another matter.” McDowell also said he will call for an auction of the 700 MHz D-block “as soon as possible” if Congress doesn’t act on spectrum legislation. McDowell wants minimal conditions and rules on the auction, he said. Public safety needs money more than spectrum to build a national network, McDowell said. “Merely more spectrum does not give them the network.” McDowell said policymakers should avoid new regulations for wireless. The growth of mobile broadband has solved many government policy issues, he said: “Let’s not screw it up.” McDowell reiterated his opposition to the FCC’s net neutrality order. He thinks it will fail in court for “many, many reasons” but “not because it didn’t go far enough.” He also again called for an audit of every FCC rule to sniff out rules and forms that are not needed. On TV white spaces, McDowell said he had some concerns with proposals to provide a “dedicated large chunk” of about 30 MHz across the country for unlicensed use. There could be international harmonization problems with that approach, he said. McDowell said a framework for unlicensed use is needed. Unlicensed use could help offload much congestion on wireless networks, McDowell said. The Republican commissioner cautioned that it’s likely to take the “better part of a decade” to put spectrum from voluntary incentive auctions in use. 4G Americas Chairman Neville Ray hopes it wouldn’t take that long, he said in a separate keynote. “We don’t have 10 years.” Limited spectrum and an increased demand for data has brought a “perfect storm” requiring more spectrum quickly, Ray said.