Verizon Wireless warms to Martin’s open-access plans

Verizon Wireless eased its stance on FCC Chairman Kevin Martin’s proposed rules for the 700 MHz spectrum auction, agreeing to stipulations that would require spectrum winners to allow any device onto their networks. According to the Wall Street Journal, Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam proffered the compromise, but said auction winners shouldn’t be required to guarantee that all applications running over their networks would work properly.
The news comes shortly after a majority of the members of the FCC voiced support for the open-access component of Martin’s 700 MHz plan, according to the Washington Post, during a hearing before the House subcommittee on telecommunications and the Internet. Democratic Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps said they supported the open-access plan, while Republican Commissioners Deborah Taylor Tate and Robert McDowell said they were undecided.
The FCC is set to vote on rules for the 700 MHz auction sometime in the next few weeks, and bidding on the valuable airwaves is set to occur sometime in December or January. Martin’s proposal includes some open-access stipulations for 22 megahertz of the 60 megahertz to be auctioned.
Internet giant Google Inc. has promised to bid $4.6 billion in the upcoming auction if the FCC adopts an unrestricted, open-access framework for the 22 megahertz. Google is calling for rules requiring open applications, open devices, open services and open networks. Martin’s plan embraces some, but not all, of Google’s proposals.
AT&T Inc. recently eased its stance on the upcoming auction, essentially agreeing to Martin’s open-access proposal. Now, Verizon Wireless has also agreed to parts of Martin’s open-access plan.
Cellphone association CTIA, however, remains steadfastly against any stipulations on the spectrum licenses.
“CTIA opposes encumbering this valuable spectrum with unnecessary regulations and restrictions that place bidders on unequal footing, limit the utility of the spectrum, and ultimately drive down the value to consumers and the U.S. Treasury,” the association states on its Web site.