This article was updated on Jan. 14, 2010.
The FCC has stepped back from a proposal to reclaim spectrum from television broadcasters to use for wireless broadband services in favor of a voluntary approach. The proposal was met with heavy opposition from broadcasters who argued it would limit the potential of digital broadcasting.
“The preference is to establish voluntary, market-based options to enable broadcasters who chose to do so to relinquish their spectrum and receive compensation,” said Phil Bellaria, director of scenario planning for the FCC's National Broadband Task Force.
Instead of forcing broadcasters to give up their spectrum, the FCC plans to make the option to sell spectrum holdings voluntary for the time being. The agency hopes a voluntary approach will work more quickly to free up spectrum.
The FCC is also considering several other measures, including using DTS transmitters to more efficiently re-engineer broadcast network architecture; repacking station allotments; and auctioning overlay licenses as was done in the mid-1990’s.
However, Bellaria said the FCC would have to reconsider the issue if it did not garner the needed amount of spectrum. Any formal measures have to be approved by the commission.
“Both these options, along with the more heavy-handed mandatory option, are within the authority of the FCC but would take longer time to market,” Bellaria said.
In response to the news of the FCC’s softened approach to reallocating broadcast spectrum, CTIA President and CEO Steve Largent urged the agency to move aggressively to free up the airwaves for wireless broadband.
"The record overwhelmingly demonstrates there's a need for additional spectrum for mobile broadband services,” he said. “We continue to believe that all spectrum should be on the table for potential reallocation, including the almost 300 MHz allocated for broadcast television use, which is spectrum most favorable to mobile broadband. We look forward to working with the Commission and the broadband team to consider mechanisms to put spectrum to its highest use."
The wireless industry is facing an imminent spectrum crisis as high-bandwidth applications threaten to crash already overburdened networks. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski promised to address the issue in October 2009. The proposal to reallocate spectrum from broadcasters to mobile broadband providers was one of the measures considered to address the spectrum shortage.