FCC's Forthcoming Broadband Plan: Something For Everybody
"We've developed a plan that is a real win-win for all involved. We've every expectation it will work," he told Reuters.
Although the plan is a lightening rod for Democrats and Republicans, as it will likely include some net neutrality or network management regulations, a large part of it will recommend various ways in which the wireless industry will acquire the spectrum it requires in order to feed its bandwidth-hungry smartphone customers -- who are growing in numbers by leaps and bounds. Genachowski has reportedly said that the plan would include a target of freeing up 500 MHz of spectrum by 2020 for wireless broadband.
He expects a portion of that 500 MHz to come from spectrum that was been relinquished by broadcasters. The FCC would ask for broadcasters to give up airwave licenses in exchange for a portion of the proceeds earned.
An additional segment of wireless airwaves, the "D-block band" will be put up for sale again, following the 2008 auction failure. Then, the FCC's rules for the D Block spectrum would have mandated that the winner negotiate the building of a network that would be jointly used by public safety entities, which apparently scared away a number of bidders.
According to Reuters, Genachowski vowed that the FCC would not repeat the same error.
"One of the core lessons the team has learned was not to replicate what didn't work in the past," he said, adding that the terms would have to be attractive to potential bidders. "There won't be any onerous conditions."