The Commerce Department's recommendation Tuesday that the entire 1755-1850 MHz band of spectrum be re-purposed and shared between federal agencies and commercial wireless providers has brought some clarity to the spectrum picture, even as the Federal Communications Commission began taking steps toward implementing the auction authority passed by Congress last month. Both FCC chairman Genachowski and CTIA-The Wireless Association agreed that initial focus should be on clearing the 1755-1780 MHz band of spectrum, which could be easily integrated with existing wireless networks, according to Stifel Nicolaus. Freeing up the entire 1755-1850 MHZ band could take much longer; as much as 10 years and $18 billion, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Those airwaves are currently being used by the Defense Department and over 20 federal agencies.
Meanwhile the FCC hired Auctionomics chairman and Stanford Economics Prof. Paul Milgrom, along with two of his colleagues and University of Maryland auctions expert Prof. Lawrence Asubel, to help the Commission design and implement the incentive auctions. The spectrum legislation approved by Congress restricted the kinds of limitations the FCC can place on bidders, so the agency will have to balance the need to raise revenue with its interest in promoting competition among wireless carriers. Estimates on both the amount of spectrum freed up and the revenue raised vary widely.
Bono Mack Knocks DHS on Cybersecurity: CQ Homeland Security's Jennifer Scholtes reports Rep. Mary Bono Mack joined her Senate GOP colleagues in questioning the Department of Homeland Security's fitness to regulate cybersecurity for the private sector networks deemed most crucial to national security. During a Wednesday hearing of the House Energy and Commerce telecom subpanel on cybersecurity, Bono Mack pointed to problems with the Department's security program for chemical plants as evidence DHS would be poorly-suited to the role. Bono Mack introduced a House version (HR 4263) on Tuesday of a bill from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., (S 2151) that would limit the role DHS plays in overseeing cybersecurity. A separate proposal championed by Senate Democrats and the White House (S 2105) would place DHS in charge of ensuring critical infrastructure providers comply with baseline protections established by the government. FTC Cracks Down On Robocallers: The Federal Trade Commission put a robocalling company out of the telemarketing business this week after charging the firm with making over two billion robocalls. The final settlement order against SBN Peripherals, based near Los Angeles, bans the defendants from telemarketing and requires them to give up roughly $3 million in assets. The settlement is part of the FTC's ongoing crackdown on deceptive robocallers. AT&T Joins Campaign to End Cramming: Senate Commerce chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., praised AT&T on Wednesday after the company announced it would stop the practice of cramming, or placing misleading third-party charges on consumer phone bills. The announced comes after Verizon made a similar move last week. The Commerce Committee completed a year-long investigation into unwanted third-party charges on landline phone bills last year, determining that third-party billing was a $2 billion a year industry. Rockefeller still plans to push for a bill that bans the practice altogether. Copps Joins Public Knowledge Board: The public interest group Public Knowledge announced Wednesday afternoon that former Democratic Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Michael Copps has joined the organization's board of directors. Copps joins current board members Susan Crawford, a visiting professor at Harvard Law School, Glen Echo Group president and founder Maureen Corbett, and Tumblr vice president Andrew McLaughlin. House Talks IT Supply Chain Security: The House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing Tuesday on securing the information technology supply chain, featuring witnesses from the Pentagon, Government Accountability Office and Department of Energy. Check out the full transcript here.