InfoWorld

The new NoChokePoints coalition, launched Monday, has nearly 20 members, including Public Knowledge, Sprint Nextel, TW Telecom, and the New America Foundation. The groups called on the US Federal Communications Commission to reform the fee structure ...

"We've thrown out what we did [to loosen restriction on wired lines], and as a result, innovation is stagnant compared to what it could be," says Sascha Meinrath, research director for the Wireless Futures Program at the New America Foundation. ...

$4.7 billion in the 17th round of the 700MHz auctions (InfoWorld)

The FCC may have to re-auction the spectrum without the reserve price and perhaps without public safety obligations, said Michael Calabrese, director of the Spectrum Policy Program at think tank the New America Foundation.

 

'Trust but verify' open mobile network pledges (InfoWorld)

M2Z Networks may sue the U.S. Federal Communications Commission after the agency turned down its request for radio frequencies for a national broadband wireless network.

***

The U.S. government has given away between $140 billion and $480 billion worth of radio spectrum to wireless providers and broadcasters since 1993, according to a study released Tuesday.

New broadband providers should be given a better chance of winning pieces of valuable wireless spectrum to be auctioned by early next year, several groups said Friday.

The groups, including Google, startup Frontline Wireless, and consumer advocate Public Knowledge, called on the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to change the way it auctions spectrum when it sells off 60Mhz of spectrum to be freed up when U.S. television stations move to all-digital broadcasts.

A coalition of consumer groups wants open access for a portion of valuable wireless spectrum to be auctioned by the FCC in early 2008.

The six groups, calling themselves the Save Our Spectrum Coalition, filed comments with the FCC Thursday, suggesting competitors to the large DSL and cable modem service providers could use the open access to provide a broadband alternative. Sometime next year, the FCC is due to auction 60MHz of spectrum in the upper 700MHz band, which is being abandoned by U.S. television broadcasters as they move from analog to digital broadcasts...