FCC's McDowell wants D Block auction 'sooner rather than later'

Federal Communications Commission member Robert McDowell expressed support for a D Block auction, which would sell off a valuable chunk of spectrum to commercial providers in order to fund a mobile broadband network for public safety officials.

The D Block auction proposal, also endorsed by the chairman's office, is a contentious issue on Capitol Hill where some members of Congress, including Senate Commerce Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) would prefer to devote the block to public safety purposes only -- a more costly route compared to the auction. Commissioner McDowell said at the FCC's monthly meeting that "in a perfect world" the D Block auction plan would already be moving along. "Perhaps we would have already concluded an auction of this spectrum, and public safety entities would be in a position to elect to partner with these auction winners," he said. "I am eager to move to this step, which I urge that we undertake sooner rather than later."