Edwards backs Frontline, tech’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 FCC wants to issue rules next month for the upcoming auction. 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.