After defending the FCC against Verizon Wireless's suit that the commission's rules for the upcoming 700 MHz auction were "arbitrary," startup Frontline Wireless has now filed a "petition for reconsideration," asking the commission to ensure that current wireless carriers do not dominate the auction.
As part of Frontline's initial auction proposal, it asked the FCC to set aside a block of spectrum next to the swath set aside for emergency services. Frontline suggested that a private company should be allowed to bid on the whole block, with the idea that it would have to build out a national network for emergency workers and would lease portions of the commercial network wholesale to smaller entrants to the wireless market.
While the FCC did set aside a portion of spectrum that will sit adjacent to the emergency services network, the commission did not include the wholesale requirement.
In Frontline's appeal it is asking the commission to block companies from bidding on the spectrum if it would "result in excessive concentration in spectrum holdings." It has also asked the commission to lower the minimum bids for the public safety portion of spectrum. In its petition, Frontline said that companies should not be allowed to profit from the spectrum allotted to first responders.
The commission has scheduled the 700 MHz auction for January.