Debate Heats Over Spectrum Rules
Open access advocates say an FCC plan for new spectrum doesn't go
far enough to boost competition.
Grant Gross, IDG News Service
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,134318-c,broadband/article.html
Plans for valuable wireless spectrum being considered by the U.S.
Federal Communications Commission may not go far enough to encourage a
new broadband competitor, said groups calling for open-access rules for
part of the spectrum.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, in an interview
<http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/telecom/2007-07-09-wireless-telecom_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip>
with USA Today published Tuesday, said he wants a "truly open broadband
network" for the 700MHz spectrum scheduled to be auctioned by early next
year. That would mean customers could attach any device to the network
and download any application, Martin told the newspaper.
Martin's proposal, reportedly to be applied to about a third of the
60MHz of spectrum to be auctioned, is similar to net neutrality rules
that several consumer groups and Internet companies have championed for
broadband networks.
But groups calling for open access to the 700MHz spectrum want more than
that. Groups such as Public Knowledge, Consumers Union and Free Press
want the FCC to require winners of part of the spectrum to provide
wholesale access to any wireless or broadband provider that wants to
offer service on that spectrum.
Rules that would allow customers to attach any device and download any
application are a good first step, but what Martin seems to be proposing
is "not open access," said Gigi Sohn, president of Public Knowledge.
"Our definition of open access includes wholesale. You're not going to
get competition in the broadband space unless you have wholesale as well."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FCC Chairman Drafts Auction Proposal
By Teresa von Fuchs
WirelessWeek - July 10, 2007
http://www.wirelessweek.com/article.aspx?id=150432
According to reports from the Dow Jones newswires and /USA Today/, FCC
Chairman Kevin Martin has completed a draft of the proposed rules
governing the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction.
And according to an interview with /USA Today/, he has included a hotly
debated open access clause. Martin told /USA Today/, "Whoever wins this
spectrum has to provide ... truly open broadband network - one that will
open the door to a lot of innovative services for consumers."
According to the report, Martin hopes open access requirements will
encourage innovation in the industry. He said his decisions came in part
because he is concerned that U.S. carriers' current practices limit
device and even feature availability. Whereas carriers in Europe have a
much more open policy and have seen faster adoption of features such as
Wi-Fi being included on handsets.
For its part, CTIA took umbrage with the proposal on a number of counts.
"Contrary to what was reported in the media, many wireless providers are
offering Wi-Fi-enabled devices, and consumers are purchasing and using
those devices across the country, not just at company-branded
hot-spots. In fact, wireless consumers today have access to more than
700 different wireless handsets," said CTIA President and CEO Steve
Largent, in a statement.
The Dow Jones report said that Martin's proposal attaches open access
conditions to two blocks of spectrum that are each 11 MHz. That's only
22 MHz out of the total 60 MHz available, but it could mean an opening
for Google and possible entrants looking to provide a national broadband
Internet service that competes with traditional carriers offerings.
Though open access is a part of startup Frontline Wireless's auction
proposal, the Dow Jones newswire report said that many of the company's
suggestions were not included in Martin's initial proposal. The report
did say that Martin had included a 10 MHz of nationally licensed
spectrum that sits adjacent to spectrum set aside for public safety
agencies. But that many of Frontline's clauses for this spectrum were
left out, possibly making it less likely the startup will participate in
the bidding.
--
Regards,
Peter Radizeski
RAD-INFO, Inc. - NSP Strategist
We Help ISPs Connect & Communicate
813.963.5884
http://www.marketingIDEAguy.com
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