WASHINGTON (AP) The Federal Communications Commission has approved rules that will clear the way for the opening of the most important airwaves auction to date.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20070731/tc_infoworld/90626_1 San Francisco (IDGNS) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) set the conditions for next year's wireless spectrum to auction on Tuesday, putting open-access rules on a third of the spectrum.
The FCC voted to require that the winner of 22MHz of spectrum allow any wireless devices to connect to the network, meaning wireless telephone customers could bring their handset devices from other carriers. The FCC, in so-called open-access rules, also prohibited the winning bidder on the 22MHz block of spectrum from blocking or slowing wireless and Web content from competitors.
The FCC's action represented a middle ground between some telecom carriers, which wanted no conditions, and some consumer advocacy groups and Google, which called on the commission to require that winning bidders also resell the spectrum at wholesale rates to competitors. The commission declined to adopt wholesale access rules.
The FCC also addressed spectrum needs for emergency response agencies by marrying 10MHz of commercial spectrum with 12MHz of spectrum in a public-private partnership designed to create a nationwide network for police and fire departments. The FCC largely adopted a plan advanced by Frontline Wireless, a startup made up of wireless industry veterans and former FCC officials who called for a marriage of commercial bidders and public safety agencies.