NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] FCC to buy out TV broadcasters to free up mobile spectrum
FCC to buy out TV broadcasters to free up mobile spectrum http://j.mp/Ou2iVD (ars technica) "The plan has three phases. In the first phase, the FCC will conduct a reverse auction in which it asks broadcasters to tell the FCC how much it would take for the agency to buy them out. Presumably, the least popular (and, therefore, least profitable) channels will submit the lowest bids. By accepting these low bids, the FCC can free up the maximum possible spectrum at the minimum cost. Second, the FCC will re-arrange the remaining broadcasters so they're clustered together in the electromagnetic spectrum. That will free up contiguous blocks of spectrum that can be put to alternative uses." - - - Notice there's no ringing endorsement from the NAB. The broadcasters know that once they give up spectrum they can never get it back, and it will only grow more valuable with time. Plus, moving your stations around the spectrum can be costly in various ways. My gut feeling is that these auctions are not going to generate anywhere near the participation that the FCC is dreaming of. We shall see. --Lauren-- Lauren Weinstein (lauren@vortex.com): http://www.vortex.com/lauren Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: http://www.pfir.org/pfir-info Founder: - Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org - PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com/privacy-info - Data Wisdom Explorers League: http://www.dwel.org - Global Coalition for Transparent Internet Performance: http://www.gctip.org Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com Google+: http://vortex.com/g+lauren / Twitter: http://vortex.com/t-lauren Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com _______________________________________________ nnsquad mailing list http://lists.nnsquad.org/mailman/listinfo/nnsquad