And we would especially like to welcome all the representatives of Illinois’s law enforcement community that have chosen to join us here in the Palace Hotel Ballroom. — Blues Brothers
AT&T, perhaps unsurprisingly, said it was not in favor offering “open access” in the upcoming 700 MHz bands. At the Reuters Global Telecoms Summit, John Stankey (right), AT&T’s group president of operations support, said it would be bad public policy to preclude certain parties (read cellular operators) from participating in the auction.
 The FCC has asked the public for comment on a number of proposals that could shape the bidding process. Some proposals favor wireless incumbents like AT&T and Verizon, while others favor the smaller players with “open” access, such as plans proposed by Frontier Communications and a coalition of Google, Yahoo, Intel and others.
“There is some debate whether there should be some parties precluded from participating in that auction, which we think would be a really, really poor public policy decision,” Stankey said.
Before the auction can start, the FCC must provide a set of rules on how the spectrum will be divided and what services can be offered. The FCC optimized the AWS band for duplex cellular carriers, strengthening the position of T-Mobile, Verizon and Cingular. Cellular operators had the money.
 The 700 MHz band, with close to three times the range (but half the capacity), is a different animal. It is “beachfront property” and ideally positioned for rural users (and billions in RUS subsidies). But, with a relatively low cost of entry, cellular operators may have to grossly overpay to keep “open access” competitors out.
 Michael Gallagher (right), a former National Telecommunications and Information Administration director who is now in private practice and represents Verizon, Qwest and other wireless companies, last week told a House telecommunications subcommittee that anything short of a ?straightforward, transparent auction? would cause far-reaching negative consequences.
FCC boss Kevin Martin appears to be siding with consumers!
Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding.
Related DailyWireless articles include Rural Broadband Gets A Plan, FCC Indecisive on 700MHz, Harold Feld on 700MHz, Martin: Sharing is Good, Congressional Fix for Universal Service?, Consumers to FCC: 700MHz Democracy Now!, Small Ops Squeezed Out of 700MHz?, General Dynamics Wins IWN Contract, Verizon Makes its Move for Universal Service Fund, Rural Broadband Dying and FCC to Rural Users: 700MHz is the Ticket.
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