WASHINGTON—Federal Communications Commissioner Michael Copps questioned separate proposals to bypass the spectrum-auction process in an effort to aid public-safety interoperability and bring broadband access to more Americans.
Speaking at a morning press conference , Copps told reporters: “The auction thing is even more clear in that instance (with Cyren Call Communications Inc.) since Congress is already counting on those funds.”
On the proposal from M2Z Networks Inc. to build an advertising-supported wireless broadband network, Copps said “Congress has made it clear that generally speaking we ought to be getting value out of the spectrum.”
Copps also criticized Congress for not coming up with a plan to deploy broadband to Americans. “Congress ought to be working on how to get broadband out there without waiting for a petition with a creative idea,” he said.
Cyren Call is entrepreneur Morgan O’Brien’s idea to use 700 MHz spectrum from the transition to digital TV for a next-generation public-safety network that industry would build and share with first responders throughout the country. The spectrum Cyren Call wants is mandated by Congress to be auctioned by January 2008. Cyren envisions a public-private partnership with commercial operators that would underwrite network infrastructure deployment in exchange for leveraging the 700 MHz band for wireless-business opportunities. First responders and others would have preferential access to the 30-megahertz block during emergencies, but would otherwise occupy a very small portion of network capacity to satisfy day-to-day public-safety requirements.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the 60 megahertz at 700 MHz—including the 30 megahertz requested by Cyren Call—could generate between $10 billion and $15 billion for the U.S. Treasury. Some of the anticipated auction receipts already have been earmarked for a variety of programs, including $1 billion for public-safety communications interoperability.
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), chairman of the House telecommunications subcommittee, has already said he opposes the idea.
M2Z is being pushed by another wireless-industry powerhouse, John Muleta. Muleta is the former chief of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. The M2Z proposal is to use spectrum in the 2155-2175 MHz band for a free wireless broadband network. The band is adjacent to a chunk of advanced wireless services spectrum, due to fetch the U.S. Treasury billions of dollars during an auction scheduled to begin Aug. 9. In exchange for gaining access to valuable airwaves via a 15-year license, M2Z said it would contribute back to the federal government 5 percent of the gross revenues from subscription services it will offer in addition to free broadband wireless service.
