Wireless

摘要

The FCC could do serious harm to the prospects for a successful incentive auction if it limits anyncarrier’s ability to buy spectrum, said AT&T Senior Vice President Bob Quinn in a blog post. “Some arenarguing that the Commission should engineer the auction rules to ensure that Sprint and T-Mobile (both ofnwhom chose not to participate in the last major auction for 700 MHz spectrum) win spectrum,” Quinnnwrote (http://bit.ly/15HLazH). “If the incentive auction rules are manipulated to essentially set aside spectrumnfor these or other providers, less revenue will be generated. Broadcasters, fearing they will not receiventop dollar for their spectrum due to that set aside, will contribute less spectrum to the auction. Thisnwill, in turn, jeopardize the entirety of the auction including the critical goal of raising the billions of dollarsnnecessary to fund FirstNet, a result that would harm all consumers by depriving our first responders ofnthe tools necessary to fight 21st century threats and protect our country.” Quinn cited a recent letter to thenFCC by the Public Safety Alliance on the importance of raising enough money through the auction to paynfor FirstNet: “As the PSA reminded us, ‘the upcoming incentive auction represents the best and perhapsnonly chance for the next several years to raise the billions of dollars necessary to fund FirstNet.’” StevenBerry, president of the Competitive Carriers Association, said in response Friday that smaller carriersnwant AT&T and Verizon Wireless to participate in the auction but not to “walk away with the entire pie”nas they largely did in the earlier 700 MHz auction. “AT&T guys want the same thing that Verizon got innthe [700 MHz] auction,” Berry said. “They want to bid on a large number of licenses and have no limitations.n... It makes no sense whatsoever to let the two largest carriers walk away with the entire pie.” Sprintnand T-Mobile are members of the CCA. “The only way the incentive auction will raise billions of dollarsnis through healthy competitive bidding that ensures everyone, not just AT&T, has a fair shot," said TMobilenFederal Regulatory Vice President Kathleen Ham. "If AT&T is allowed to scare off competition,nas it is trying to do now, it will deter bidding by other parties, reduce what AT&T pays for valuable lowbandnspectrum, restrict the amount of money collected by the government and foreclose on meaningfulnfuture competition in wireless broadband.”