Broadcasters Seek New Auction Schedule

The National Association of Broadcasters' point man on incentive auctions, Rick Kaplan, says the AWS-3 success should bring a relaxed Federal Communications Commission timetable and rules.

“The FCC has the responsibility to take a step back and assess what the world looks like now that the AWS-3 auction has raised so much money,” said Rick Kaplan. “It’s probably time to stop conducting the incentive auction like it is going to be a failure” or to adopt a variable band plan “because of an irrational fear of not raising enough money.” Kaplan added that the FCC should rethink its approach to unlicensed spectrum now that everything is “paid for in spades,” making a little more room for them rather than trying to “shoehorn” them in. He also said it should mean the FCC does not have to hold the auction in early 2016. “Most people would say that if you want to raise as much money as possible, you would not want to have the next auction only a year later.”