Edwards backs Frontline, tech industry’s 700 MHz plans

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards urged the Federal Communications Commission to fashion 700 MHz rules to further the reach of the Internet using an open-access approach advocated by Frontline Wireless L.L.C., consumer groups and Internet giants.
“By setting bid and service rules that unleash the potential of smaller new entrants, you can transform information opportunity for people across America-rural and urban, wealthy and not,” the former U.S. senator from North Carolina stated in a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. “As much as half of the spectrum should be set aside for wholesalers who can lease access to smaller startups, which has the potential to improve service to rural and underserved areas. Additionally, anyone winning rights to this valuable public resource should be required not to discriminate among data and services and to allow any device to be attached to their service. Finally, bidding should be anonymous to avoid collusion and retaliatory bids.”
The Edwards camp issued a press release yesterday saying he planned to discuss the issue during a visit to California to attend a town hall meeting with Google Inc. employees.
The FCC wants to issue rules next month for the upcoming auction of 60 megahertz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band to give prospective bidders six months to prepare for what could be the last major sale of prized airwaves in the foreseeable future. The auction could generate up to $15 billion for the U.S. Treasury.
Frontline Wireless included the open access model in its proposal to create a 10-megahertz block that a winning bidder would use as a foundation to build a nationwide wireless broadband network that provides commercial and priority public safety services. The licensee also would have access to half of a separate 24 megahertz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band reserved for first responder communicators.
While Frontline’s plan has its supporters, the mobile-phone industry strongly opposes it. Moreover, Cyren Call Communications Corp., another startup pursuing a public-private national wireless solution for public safety, is against any licensing conditions that scares off major cellular companies-potential partners of public safety-from bidding on the 10-megahertz block.