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US senators support ‘incentive auctions’
12 January 2012
FCC chairman Genachowski says senators from both US parties support incentive based spectrum auctions
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Plans for frequency auctions without legislative limits have met with bipartisan support from certain US senators, says FCC chairman Julius Genachowski, quoted by Reuters. Under the planned move, broadcasters will be offered monetary incentives in return for their unused spectrum permits.
Genachowski is seeking approval for the proposal — called “incentive auctions” — which will allow the FCC to sell the obtained frequency to mobile data service providers. According to Reuters, Genachowski said that “as we get down to the wire on incentive auctions the sticking points are proposals” that restrict the auctions process.
One of the proposed restrictions revolves around the regulator’s ability to allow usage of some bandwidth for services which are similar to wifi. Another proposal recommends withholding the FCC’s decisions on restricting parties from participating in the auction.
The commission believes that it must be given the flexibility over powers to conduct an auction and that preventing these “do not make sense”, Reuters reported. Genachowski pointed out that the commission has managed about 80 similar auctions raising around $50 billion in the process.
Genachowski was speaking at the US Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. GTB
Further reading from Global Telecoms Business:
Obama nominates new FCC members 04 Nov 2011
Spaces in spectrum can help meet growing data demand 28 Oct 2011
Multiple choice answers for mobile broadband explosion 24 Oct 2011
FCC inks spectrum deals with Canada and Mexico 03 Aug 2011
Politicians plan to block FCC rules 16 Mar 2011