A proposed White House FY 2008 budget would double FCC spending for oversight of the Universal Service Fund, add $2 billion in interoperability funds and spend $426.3 million on the digital converter box program, according to documents submitted Mon. to Congress. OMB Dir. Rob Portman called the President’s budget request “credible” in a briefing with reporters. Portman said he consulted with Congress before drafting the document so he could be responsive to concerns.
Wireless Spectrum Auctions
The FCC manages and licenses the electromagnetic spectrum used by wireless, broadcast, satellite and other telecommunications services for government and commercial users. This activity includes organizing specific telecommunications modes to only use specific frequencies and maintaining the licensing systems for each frequency such that communications services and devices using different bands receive as little interference as possible.
What are spectrum auctions?
The FCC will periodically hold auctions of unused or newly available spectrum frequencies, in which potential licensees can bid to acquire the rights to use a specific frequency for a specific purpose. As an example, over the last few years the U.S. government has conducted periodic auctions of different GHz bands to support the growth of 5G services.
Companies seeing huge profit in broadcast white spaces want FCC rules as loose as possible, to promote a vibrant market and get gear makers to offer many devices, they said in comments filed with the FCC. With the key question being whether the spectrum will be licensed or not, some commenters warned of the risk of interference to wireless microphones and other devices already using the TV bands.
A special access provision included in the AT&T- BellSouth merger drew fire during the FCC’s visit to Capitol Hill Thurs. for the first hearing in the 110th Congress. Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Inouye (D-Hawaii) asked Martin why he voted for the merger if he had qualms about the legality of the provision, referring to a statement Martin released after the merger. “If you felt so strongly, don’t you think you had an obligation to withhold your vote?”
CTIA and PCIA are fighting over rules on how advanced wireless services (AWS) auction winners pick a clearinghouse to oversee cost-sharing as new licensees move incumbents out of the 2.1 GHz band. The FCC decided last year to make both associations clearinghouses to free spectrum bought in last summer’s auction. The 2 have clashed repeatedly on details. “The clearinghouses have met and have worked to come up with a compromise, but at the end of the day it’s really a public policy positions and we just have opposing positions,” said Connie Durcsak, PCIA senior dir.-industry services.
Nine applicants have qualified to bid in an auction of licenses in the 1.4 GHz band (Auction 69) when that spectrum sale starts Feb. 7. Qualifying: Cavalier Wireless, CCTV Wireless, Chevron, GWireless, Itron, Maddog, Port L.L.C., Tera Wireless and Texas Rural Broadband. Port bid the most upfront, $17.1 million.
A case the U.S. Appeals Court, D.C., will hear Feb. 9 could bring the DTV transition to a screeching halt. Public Citizen filed a constitutional challenge to the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), which sets a Feb. 17, 2009, hard date for transition. The transition would free 700 MHz spectrum the FCC expects to auction later this year, with some of that spectrum reserved for public safety use. In a brief it filed in the case, CTIA enumerated implications for the DTV transition and auction.
GENEVA -- Officials squared off Mon. at ITU in the debate over harmonized versus liberalized spectrum management and secondary spectrum markets at an ITU workshop here on spectrum management marketing mechanisms. The spectrum debate caroms between spectrum management experts for harmonized management and theoretical observations by economists, politicians and lawyers for liberalized management, said Klaus Kohrt, vice chmn. of UMTS Forum.
SAN JOSE -- Democrats controlling Congress will promote unlicensed spectrum use and hold FCC Chmn. Martin’s feet to the fire -- but won’t alter his positions or pass large-scale communications bills, lobbyists said. On a Wed. panel at the Wireless Communications Assn. conference, Hank Hultquist, AT&T assistant vp-emerging services & technologies, handicapped chances for legislation in the 110th Congress.
Holding a 700 MHz auction in Aug. or Sept. would put Cyren Call in a tough position on Capitol Hill, trying to find a legislative vehicle in a matter of a few months to which it could attach its proposal for a 30 MHz public safety broadband set-aside. DTV legislation approved by Congress in 2006 requires that the 700 MHz auction start by Jan. 28, 2008, but FCC Chmn. Martin said Wed. an auction could start as early as Aug. (CD Jan 18 p4).
The FCC could start the 700 MHz auction as early as Aug., Chmn. Martin said Wed. That’s earlier than most potential bidders expected. Verizon and other major wireless carriers want an early start. Small carriers generally want one as late as possible. DTV legislation approved by Congress last year requires that the auction start by Jan. 28, 2008.