FCC May Pay Broadcasters for Airwaves

Apparently, the Federal Communications Commission is considering a plan to pay broadcasters to vacate airwaves it could use to alleviate network strain caused by the surging use of smartphones such as the iPhone.

The FCC weighing the compensation as part of a larger effort to improve access to high-speed Internet connections. The plan may propose using revenue from airwave auctions to pay existing users to exit airwaves. There's no guarantee that Congress will approve the FCC's recommendation or that broadcasters will accept payment in exchange for relinquishing airwaves they could use to expand in areas including mobile digital TV (DTV), says Dennis Wharton, a spokesman for the National Association of Broadcasters.