FCC Meeting Recap

FCC SETS RUES FOR NEXT GENERATION WIRELESS BIDS
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com 4/12, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
On June 29, the Federal Communications Commission is planning to auction 90MHz of radio spectrum, which is projected to bring in between $8 billion and $15 billion for the government. Companies are interested in snapping up the 1,122 licenses for that spectrum so they can roll out more third-generation, or 3G, mobile networks capable of shuttling voice, data, video and other services at higher speeds. For more than a decade, the FCC's policy was to unveil each participant's identity and bid for each license at the end of every auction round. Spectrum auctions, which occur electronically, historically have lasted anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on the number of licenses up for grabs. But in a public notice released in late January, the agency said it had concerns about potential anticompetitive effects arising from that approach. Citing reports from economists, regulators said they worried that if information about bidders were revealed during the auction's multiple and simultaneous rounds, sneaky participants could use that information to "signal" each other. Through that tactic, they could find ways to coordinate their own bids--perhaps resulting in lower-than-market-value prices for licenses--or to fight off competing ones. At Wednesday's meeting, the four seated commissioners agreed by voice vote to a compromise that would permit "anonymous" or "blind" bidding only if the FCC determined beforehand that a sufficient level of competition be present. That decision, based on a formula that accounts for the number of bidders that apply to participate and the upfront payments they provide, will likely not occur until sometime after June 1, the target date for those payments.
http://news.com.com/FCC+sets+rules+for+next-generation+wireless+bids/2100-1039_3-6060487.html?tag=nefd.top
* FCC Creates Option For Blind Airwaves Auction
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-ILVS1144955096703.html
* PUBLIC NOTICE: AUCTION OF ADVANCED WIRELESS SERVICES LICENSES SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 29, 2006
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-47A1.doc

FCC MODIFIES RULES TO FACILITATE WIRELESS BROADBAND ACCESS
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
On April 12, the Federal Communications Commission adopted an Order that continues its efforts to transform its rules and policies governing the 2496-2690 MHz Broadband Radio Service (BRS) and Educational Broadband Service (EBS) band. The actions taken in this Order will facilitate the deployment of educational and commercial wireless broadband services using this spectrum.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264897A1.doc

FCC ADOPTS RELOCATION PROCEDURES AND COST SHARING RULES TO FACILITATE ACCESS OF SPECTRUM FOR ADVANCED WIRELESS SERVICES
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
On April 12, the FCC adopted a Ninth Report and Order establishing procedures by which new Advanced Wireless Service (AWS) licensees may relocate incumbent Broadband Radio Service (BRS) and Fixed Microwave Service (FS) operations in spectrum that has been allocated for AWS. These procedures will promote the rapid deployment of broadband, voice, and data services to the public by new AWS licensees, and also will minimize the disruption to incumbent BRS and FS licensees during the relocation process.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264895A1.doc

COMMISSIONER COPPS ANNOUNCES STAFF CHANGES
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
Jessica Rosenworcel will serve as Commissioner Copps' Senior Legal Advisor. In addition to her duties as senior advisor, Ms. Rosenworcel will serve as advisor for media issues. Scott M. Deutchman will serve as Legal Advisor for competition and universal service issues and Bruce Liang Gottlieb will serve as Legal Advisor for wireless and international issues. Deutchman is a graduate of Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations and a cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He most recently served as the Managing Director of The LawMedia Group, providing legislative and public relations counsel for a variety of companies, trade associations and business coalitions. Before that, he served as Minority Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary and practiced law at Hogan and Hartson in Washington, DC. In addition, Deutchman has been an Adjunct Faculty Member at the University of Maryland Law School.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264899A1.doc