Due to the failure of the 700 MHz spectrum auction to name a successful bidder for the swath of spectrum set aside for a national, public safety network, members of Congress and nine organizations including the Consumer Federation of America and Consumers Union have asked the FCC to investigate the auction for possible fraud.
Several groups accused representatives of the public safety community of undermining the auction by demanding that any winner of the auction make additional payments to them.
The need for a national, interoperable public safety network was at the core of the 911 Commission Report; former Representative and Co-Chairman of the 9/11 panel Lee Hamilton said that the failure of the auction to create the groundwork for such a network is “a source of deep, deep disappointment.”
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said that he is still committed to solving network interoperability issues of the public safety agencies and that he has asked the FCC inspector to investigate complaints of impropriety.
The FCC has said it will not release the winners of the other sections of spectrum until it decides what to do about the D-block.