According to the FCC statement (pdf):

The FCC adopted a mix of geographic area sizes for licensing the spectrum ? including Cellular Market Areas (CMAs), Economic Areas (EAs) and Regional Economic Area Groupings (REAGs) ? and established rules related to power limits and other technical issues, as well as initial license terms.

According to the FCC Chairman Kevin Martin’s statement (pdf):

The leading technology companies ?Google, Intel, Skype, Yahoo, along with
DirecTV, and EchoStar are the only parties that have promised to try to provide a
national, wireless broadband alternative. They have explained that, for a national
wireless broadband service to emerge, the auction must do three things: (1) make
available at least one 11 MHz paired block; (2) offer at least some large geographic areas;
and (3) enable package bidding so that rights to a national service could be acquired.
These technology companies have formed a coalition urging the Commission to follow
these key principles that they believe are essential to the deployment of an additional
broadband competitor.

I put forth a proposal that would meet these three requirements. I am surprised
that some of my colleagues do not support this approach. Indeed, some of them have
been the most critical of the current state of broadband deployment and competition and
the most vocal about us needing a national strategy. It is puzzling that they would not
endorse taking the minimum steps necessary to enable a wireless broadband alternative to
develop for all Americans.

The FCC will put parts of Frontline’s proposal out for public comment, which means that the agency has not ruled it out. But it also means that the final auction rules are not yet set in stone.

The Frontline plan drew skepticism from Commissioner Michael Copps, one of two Democrats on the five-member panel. The proposal is “a tantalizing prospect, but only if it works as promised, and there’s the challenge,” he said.

Competitors like Cyren Call wanted another 30 MHz for “shared use”. Cyren claimed Frontline couldn’t make a business case with so little spectrum. But it was Cyren Call that got short shrift from the FCC earlier — their request for an extra 30 MHz for a first responder/commercial service network was deemed excessive.

Large carriers and the wireless industry group CTIA oppose Frontline’s plan. Such an arrangement would violate communications laws and “significantly devalue the spectrum,” CTIA President Steve Largent told Martin in an April 5 letter.

The Coalition for 4G in America (below), from EchoStar, DIRECTV, Intel, Yahoo! Google, Skype and Access Spectrum, says the 15 MHz paired commercial allocation in the upper 700 band should be re-configured into a 16.5 MHz paired allocation.

“The use of 5.5 MHz ‘building blocks’ gives an immediate 10 percent increase in bandwidth (which) allows more capable next generation broadband network performance,” the group said. “Locating the paired 5.5 MHz commercial block directly adjacent to public safety’s paired 5.5 MHz broadband block would better enable public-private partnerships and lead to potential cost savings for public safety.”

Read more at: http://www.dailywireless.org/2007/04/25/fcc-decides-not-to-decide-on-700mhz/.