Sen. Snowe Digs Up 100 MHz of Unused SpectrumJanuary 12, 2010
 WASHINGTON : Finish the outstanding spectrum issues before
reallocating broadcast airwaves, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R.-Maine) suggested in a
letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.
“While I don't disagree that all options should be on the table as the
commission evaluates spectrum policy, it is imperative that the FCC first clear
the table of outstanding spectrum-related items that have lingered at the
commission before extensively exploring other avenues. Concluding these
unresolved items could dictate what additional steps the FCC should
investigate,” she wrote in the letter dated Jan. 5.
Snowe enumerated several open proceedings she said appeared “ready for prompt
decisions that could enable the quick roll-out of significant additional
spectrum.”
Among them, WCS, short-hand for a proceeding about rules for licensing satellite
digital audio radio service, or SDARS, in the 2 GHz band. The proceeding is
more than 10 years old, and nearly resolved last year, but no action was
ultimately taken by the FCC.
Another, AWS-3, is 2 GHz spectrum dedicated to advanced wireless services five
years ago. The FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on developing services in
the band was issued in 2007 and raised a request to pair it with a swath of
spectrum used by federal agencies. Snowe said to either pair it license it
already.
Spectrum also remains unlicensed from the 700 MHz auctions of 2008. The D
block, as it’s known, was set aside to create a public-private partnership, but
no private enterprise stepped up.
“This nation has for too long lacked a nationwide public safety network so a
decision by the commission is long overdue on what option-whether it’s
re-auction, direct allocation, or some other solution-it believes will be most
viable for resolving this deficiency,” Snowe said.
Yet another 70 MHz of spectrum in the 2 GHz band awaits FCC action. It was
allocated in 2001 for eight new mobile satellite services. Six went south, the
remaining two split 40 MHz and launched satellites but have yet to launch
services. One is bankrupt. Snowe suggested reallocating this spectrum.
Three blocks of spectrum were allocated in the 1,900 MHz and 2 GHz bands six
years ago for broadband and advanced wireless services. It has yet to be
auctioned.
“To pursue what seems to be a predetermined path while proceedings such as
these remain unresolved is somewhat concerning and possibly premature--mainly
given the limited technical resources at the commission,” Snowe said. “The five
proceedings that I’ve highlighted relate to spectrum that is currently unused
or severely underutilized-approximately 100 MHz worth of spectrum....
concluding these proceedings would provide a much quicker time frame to rolling
out additional spectrum for commercial wireless broadband services.”
Snowe also said a spectrum inventory would be “the necessary first step” to
creating a policy framework. She is a sponsor of S.649, the “Radio Spectrum
Inventory Act.”
“I am optimistic that or legislation will pass the Senate early this year,” she
said. -- Deborah D. McAdams
| COMMENTS (3) | | 01/14/2010 | | They still have the 700 MHz D Band that they stole from TV already that nobody wants to pay for, so why rob more TV bandwidth that nobody will pay for. They need to be more efficient at what they DO already have. You CANNOT eliminate anymore broadcast TV, AM-FM broadcast radio, amateur radio, or SatRad frequencies. Deal with what you've got and make it work. HDTV was redesigned to fit into the old NTSC 6MHz channel when it needed nearly double the bandwidth, so the broadband boys have to figure our how to use their spectrum SMARTER! |
| | 01/13/2010 | | IT sound like unfinished business by the FCC. Again OTA DTV broadcasting I feel still need additional space. How about Channels 51 to 57 and give that back to DTV |
| | 01/13/2010 | | If the previous administrations FCC commission had actually done something for the 8 years they were in control maybe we wouldn't be scrambling to figure out a quick solution now. Olympia, your letter is about 4 years late. |
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