Open Access Advocates See Positives, Negatives in FCC's 700 MHz Band Auction (Telecommunications Reports)

Michael Calabrese, vice president of the New America Foundation and director of its Wireless Future Program, concluded that the sale has produced “mixed results with respect to the public interest.” He noted the open access provisions on the 22-MHz C block have been triggered, but said the winner of the spectrum will “most likely” be Verizon Wireless. And he noted the D block reserve price hasn’t nearly been met. ...

Verizon Wireless’s announcement “sounds good, but really the question still remains ... will it lead to real openness and will market forces alone lead the other carriers ... toward the sort of consumer choice and open network innovation that we need?” Mr. Calabrese asked. “We’re very skeptical of that.”...

Mr. Calabrese said the FCC, as it mulls new rules for the D block, should consider requiring the bidder to be a wholesale-only provider, which would lead to additional competition in the market. Public interest groups and others had unsuccessfully sought such a mandate on the C- and D-block spectrum.