from his congressional visit:
I have recently proposed rules for the 700 MHz auction that I
believe will facilitate a national wireless broadband service. A
coalition of companies that support a national wireless broadband
alternative, Intel, Skype, Yahoo, Google, DIRECTV, and
EchoStar, urged the Commission to structure the auction in such a
manner that it would maximize the opportunity for a national
wireless broadband service to emerge. They urged the
Commission to make available at least one 11MHz paired block,
offered over large geographic areas, with combinatorial bidding so
that a national service could be established. I put forward a
proposal that would meet these requirements.
My proposal would provide significant opportunities for small and
rural carriers to obtain spectrum at auction as well. The proposed
band plan would provide for a variety of geographic license areas
and spectrum block sizes. I am also proposing stringent build-out
requirements – the strictest build-out the Commission has ever
proposed – to help ensure that the rural and underserved areas of
the country will benefit from the provision of new services that this
spectrum will facilitate. These build-out requirements include
interim benchmarks and tough penalties. We also would permit
higher power limits in rural areas, which will reduce the number of
towers necessary to serve consumers and lower the cost of buildout.
Meeting the needs of public safety is critically important. During a
crisis, public safety officials need to be able to communicate with
one another. We are all aware of problems that have been created
by the lack of interoperability for public safety during recent crises
like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. To that end, my proposal for the
upcoming auction would help create a truly national interoperable
broadband network for public safety agencies to use during times
of emergency. I believe this proposal could offer many public
safety benefits and is consistent with public safety’s views on
achieving an interoperable broadband network.
Many national and local public safety organizations have
expressed support for a public-private partnership approach in
which a national commercial licensee would work together with a
national public safety licensee to build such a shared network. We
must efficiently and effectively manage the 700 MHz spectrum
allocated to both commercial users and public safety by Congress.
My proposal will help the Commission ensure that public safety
keeps pace with the advances in communications and gives first
responders the broadband communications capabilities they need
to protect safety of life and property of the American public.
Finally, I have also proposed that the license winner for about onethird
of the spectrum be required to provide a platform that is more
open to devices and applications. This auction provides an
opportunity to have a significant effect on the next phase of
wireless broadband innovation. A network more open to devices
and applications can help ensure that the fruits of innovation on the
edges of the network swiftly pass into the hands of consumers.
Consumers would be able to use the wireless device of their choice
and download whatever software they want.
The upcoming auction provides a rare chance to promote a more
open platform without disrupting existing networks or business
plans. I have not, however, proposed to apply these same
principles to the entire 700 MHz band or to other existing
networks. Nor have I proposed to apply network neutrality
obligations or mandatory wholesale requirements for this block or
any other block.
In addition, the Commission recognizes that spectrum is a unique
public asset, and that we must obtain a fair return on this asset for
the American people. To ensure that a fair price is paid, I have
proposed a reserve price for this block of spectrum, as well as an
overall reserve price for the entire auction. If the reserve price is
not met, the spectrum would be re-auctioned without the
requirement for open devices and applications. These reserve
prices, which are based on the winning bids for spectrum in our
recent AWS-1 auction, will safeguard the value of the spectrum.
--
Regards,
Peter Radizeski
RAD-INFO, Inc. - NSP Strategist
We Help ISPs Connect & Communicate
813.963.5884
http://www.marketingIDEAguy.com
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