FCC Chair Not Thrilled With New Spectrum Incentive Auction Legislation

Julius Genachowski

FCC Chairman JULIUS GENACHOWSKI was pleased, with reservations, YESTERDAY (12/13), as Congress passed spectrum incentive auction legislation. However, GENACHOWSKI -- as well as House Democrats -- don't feel it's a perfect bill.

GENACHOWSKI expressed concern about language in the bill that he said could "tie the agency's hands in ways that could be counterproductive."

BROADCASTINGCABLE.COM reports, "the Republican-backed version of the bill passed TUESDAY as part of the payroll tax extension package of must-pass legislation, but the president said he will veto that overall package if it gets to his desk in the current form."

"Precluding the FCC from adopting innovation-enhancing policies around unlicensed spectrum could threaten U.S. global leadership in spectrum-related innovation," GENACHOWSKI said in a statement. "The same is true for the bill's restrictions on the Commission's ability to construct band plans and structure auctions in ways that maximize the value of licensed spectrum."

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