Pause That refreshes: FCC should take time to follow up AWS-3 victory with a successful incentive auction

[Commentary] The AWS-3 wireless spectrum auction has given the Federal Communications Commission a great opportunity to pause and rethink its framework for the broadcast incentive auction.

It should also relieve the pressure not only financially, but in terms of deadline. The incentive auction was designed when it was not clear how much the first two auctions -- H Block and AWS-3 -- would raise. The AWS-3 (with an assist from H Block) has essentially paid the freight for FirstNet, the first-responder broadband network, with plenty left over for E-911 and other projects, with still billions more for the federal treasury. So the pressure should now be off the incentive auction, which anticipated having to cover some of those expenses.