America’s got spectrum’ – a new approach to frequency assignment

Let’s face it, auctions can be a drag. They are expensive, often politically controversial and the rules can be subject to legal challenge.

There are, of course, other ways of assigning spectrum. It can be awarded in a beauty contest, distributed in a lottery, or simply handed over to favoured companies. But none of these is ideal either.

If only spectrum policy could be as simple and as entertaining as a TV talent contest. This is clearly what FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and ‘father of the cellphone’ Marty Cooper think; in a recent US newspaper op-ed, they suggested that 10 MHz of spectrum could be assigned through a technical competition.

“The first person who finds a way to make spectrum use 50 to 100 times more efficient over the next decade would win,” they say. “The reward could be spectrum itself–say 10 megahertz suitable for mobile broadband.” They brand the concept “Race to the Top, Spectrum Edition”.

They argue that this would be a “pretty sweet incentive” because spectrum is so valuable, and that it would drive significant improvements in mobile broadband technology.

Good to know FCC chairman Tom Wheeler has a back-up option if the incentive auction doesn’t work out.

Toby Youell, PolicyTracker

2/10/2014