700 MHz spectrum auction

CTIA Drops Open Requirement Lawsuits

Lindsy Embree — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:16:33 -0800

CTIA Drops Lawsuit Against FCC's Open Access Rules

Lindsy Embree — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:02:03 -0800

Tell the FCC to Open Up White Spaces!

Lindsy Embree — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:48:18 -0700

FCC Holds Meeting on Public Safety Communications and the D Block Auction

Stevie Converse — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:17:15 -0700

Voted Items at FCC Are Secret, FCC Says

Stevie Converse — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:13:18 -0700

[Editor's note: To see the FCC's denial document, click here.]

When the Federal Communications Commission votes on something at a public meeting, the document they are voting on isn't necessarily for public consumption, the agency said Wednesday.

D Block Rides Again! And the NPRM Is Already Released!

Stevie Converse — Thu, 15 May 2008 08:33:38 -0700

If I weren't generally pleased with my quick flip through of the Commission's Latest Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on D Block, I would declare it a true sign of the coming of the Apocalypse.

FCC Seeks Comment on How to Proceed with the Reauction of the 700 MHz D Block

Stevie Converse — Thu, 15 May 2008 08:09:46 -0700

In a sustained commitment to address the nation’s public safety communications challenges, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today adopted a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Notice) that seeks public comment on how the Commission should proceed with the reauction and licensing of the 700 MHz D Block spectrum while maximizing the public safety and commercial benefits of a n

AT&T Defends 'Open' Wireless Network

Stevie Converse — Tue, 13 May 2008 08:58:29 -0700

Three years ago, Jason Devitt was speaking at an industry conference when he criticized a mobile application just released by a big-name wireless carrier. And the big-name wireless carrier wasn't happy.

Verizon Promises to Honor the C Block Open Access Rules

Stevie Converse — Thu, 08 May 2008 09:46:03 -0700

Google has won another back-door victory on the Federal Communications Commission's 700 MHz auction. It has extracted a pledge from Verizon that the wireless giant will adhere to the 700 MHz auction C Block's "open platform" provision.

Look Who's Beating Up on Google

Stevie Converse — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:40:22 -0700

What do Cliff Stearns, John Shimkus, and Fred Upton have in common? They're all members of the House telecommunications subcommittee, and they've each publicly accused Google of having "duped" the Federal Communications Commission by "gaming" a recent multibillion-dollar auction of wireless frequencies, shortchanging federal coffers.

Verizon's Spectrum Plans: Speedier Wireless Broadband

Stevie Converse — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:52:23 -0700

Verizon executives on Friday said that a valuable chunk of newly purchased analog TV spectrum is a "transformative opportunity" that will let the company offer vastly faster wireless broadband service within the next three years.

Phone, Satellite Companies to Redevelop Airwaves for New Wireless Products

Stevie Converse — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:42:21 -0700

The airwaves currently carry television UHF channels 52 to 69. Those might be second-rate properties on analog television, but they're prime real estate in the wireless world -- likened by the FCC to "beachfront property" from which providers will be able to develop nationwide, high-speed Internet products.

Viva Verizon

Stevie Converse — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 05:45:11 -0700

The broadband roadmap of U.S. cable operators suddenly seems, well, feeble. Not content spending $23 billion rolling out fiber-to-the-home through its FiOS initiative, Verizon is set to plunk down another $9.6 billion for C-Block licenses following the Federal Communications Commission 's 700 MHz spectrum auction, winning the bidding war hands down.

Open Wireless Network May Not Be So Open

Stevie Converse — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:27:43 -0700

With its winning $4.7 billion bid last week, Verizon Wireless didn't just stake claim to beachfront wireless property, it also grabbed control of the guest list to the open-access party.

FCC Auction Delivers on Access, Not Competition

Stevie Converse — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:37:51 -0700

Consumers of broadband services won only a partial victory in the Federal Communications Commission's sale of airwaves that ended last week. It won't bring major new competition among wireless phone companies, as some had hoped.

Thoughts on the D Block/Public Safety Broadband Network Auction: Policy Right; Business Wrong

Holiday Shapiro — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 06:46:52 -0700

It is really a shame the FCC’s D Block/Public Safety auction didn’t work. But even in the failure, we should be delighted at the enormous policy progress it represents. Let’s hope the parties involved get the business side correct on the second round.

Congress Needs a Full Review of What Happened with FCC Spectrum Bids

Holiday Shapiro — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 06:38:32 -0700

Something stinks about the recent Federal Communications Commission auction to build wireless networks for the nation's emergency responders. The short version appears to be that a nonprofit group, the Public Safety Spectrum Trust, hired by the nation's 55,000 public safety agencies, was trying to shake down the companies that won the federal airwaves auction.

Spectrum Auction May Boost Gear Makers' Future

Holiday Shapiro — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:23:42 -0700

Wireless network equipment makers may see a flurry of new orders in the next two years after a $19 billion government auction of wireless airwaves, analysts said.

The top two U.S. mobile services AT&T Inc and Verizon Wireless were the biggest spenders in the auction.

Verizon Licks Its Cheap Megahertz Pops

Holiday Shapiro — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:17:42 -0700

Here’s the telecom geek quiz of the day: What’s a megahertz pop?

A) What a Federal Communications Commission lawyer eats to cool off on a hot day
B) An ultrasonic explosive device used for pranks at MIT
C) A shiny prize horded by large phone companies

Wireless Auction Yields Mixed Results for Consumers

Holiday Shapiro — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:10:49 -0700

The completion of the 700MHz wireless spectrum auction on Thursday should bring more choice and new types of services for end users, although the results were not as rosy as some observers had hoped for.