PISC asks Martin to Investigate D Block Failure to Sell, Consider Other Options
Posted: Wednesday March 19, 2008
FCC Should Investigate Allegations, Consider Wide Range of Options, On Failed “D Block” License From Spectrum Auction.
WASHINGTON —Media Access Project (MAP), on behalf of the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition (PISC), sent a letter today to Kevin Martin, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), asking that the FCC conduct a thorough investigation into why the “D Block” did not attract bidders in the recent spectrum auction and asking the FCC to consider a broad range of possible resolutions for what to do with the D Block now that the rest of the auction has ended. In particular, while not accusing any party of wrongdoing, the letter asks the FCC to investigate whether discussions between Morgan O’Brien of Cyren Call and possible D Block bidder Frontline Wireless caused Frontline to lose financial backing and scared off other bidders.
“Before we can come up with a solution, we need to thoroughly understand what happened,” said Harold Feld, Senior Vice President, Media Access Project. “We also need to recognize that the agency showed tremendous courage by taking a risk on the D Block to get a national public safety network built without federal funding. Rather than tear the Commission down because it didn’t work, we need to figure out how to make it happen.”
PISC, an ad hoc coalition of public interest groups represented by MAP, lobbied during the summer for the FCC to adopt a number of reforms to the auction process itself and to the service rules for the licenses as ways to increase wireless and broadband competition. In the letter PISC asks the Commission to “consider a broad range of possible dispositions” for the D Block, including “rules designed to encourage consortium bidding, non-exclusive licenses, or other sorts of common pool management.” PISC also “strongly urges” the FCC to “take additional steps to seek public comment on this matter of vital national importance” and to cooperate with Congressional oversight committees in an open and transparent manner.
“The silver lining here is the opportunity to take the time to do it right, and consider what will best serve everyone,” said Feld. “With the auction over, and having generated almost twice what the government expected, both the time pressure and the financial pressure are off. No one wants needless delays. But this is our last chance to do something with the best slice of the public airwaves besides sell it to Verizon or AT&T. We hope the Chairman will once again show the kind of leadership he showed when setting the rules this summer, rather than opting to do the ‘safe thing’ and sell it off.”
The Public Interest Spectrum Coalition is, in alphabetical order: The CUWiN Foundation, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, EDUCAUSE, Free Press, Media Access Project, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, the New America Foundation, Public Knowledge, and U.S. PIRG.
Media Access Project (MAP) is a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to promoting the public’s First Amendment right to access a diverse marketplace of ideas in the electronic mass media of today and tomorrow. For over 35 years, MAP has promoted the public interest before the FCC and the Courts, advocating for an open and diverse media that protects the free flow of information, promotes universal and equitable access, and encourages vibrant public discourse on critical issues facing our society.
Read letter here.
Contact: Harold Feld
Senior Vice President
(202) 454-5684