FCC needs more time to assess 3G spectrum

FCC Chairman Michael Powell agreed to postpone the allocation of third-generation (3G) mobile wireless spectrum until the commission and the executive branch complete evaluations and decide from where the spectrum will come.

Former President Bill Clinton last fall called on all government branches to identify 3G spectrum by July and auction it by September 2002. But the mobile wireless industry called on the Bush administration and the FCC to postpone the allocation because of incumbency issues surrounding the proposed 3G bands.

Both bands under consideration, the 1710 to 1850MHz band and the 2500 to 2690MHz band, are heavily occupied by the Department of Defense and fixed wireless operators. And all incumbents are fighting to keep their spectrum.

The FCC also is reviewing a range of options for 3G spectrum, including the consideration of other frequencies licensed for mobile satellite and fixed data and video service.

“The entire federal government faces a challenging set of issues in addressing how best to make available sufficient U.S. spectrum for advanced wireless services,” Powell said in a letter to Commerce Secretary Donald Evans. “In connection with these efforts, I believe that the public interest would be best served by additional time for informed consideration, even if this results in some delay in reaching allocation decisions.”

Diane Cornell, vice president for regulatory policy for the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, said Powell is recognizing reality.

“It was inevitable,” she said. “All of us, however, would like to move as quickly as humanly possible, and I hope [the FCC] is not anticipating a long delay.”