FCC to try incentives to free wireless broadband spectrum

The FCC plans to free up a large swath of wireless broadband spectrum -- totaling 500 megahertz -- over the next decade, but for now, it won't force television broadcasters to relinquish any airwaves.

Instead, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced Wednesday that the agency will seek to incentivize TV stations and other licensees to give up bandwidth in exchange for a cut of the auction proceeds. Additional frequencies would be reclaimed through increased spectrum efficiency and sharing.

The commission has repeatedly warned of a looming spectrum crisis. It needs to identify more airwaves to meet the anticipated surge in mobile demand from its upcoming national broadband plan, to be unveiled at its March 16 meeting.

The plan will include a series of recommendations for policymakers, including the proposals he outlined Wednesday.

"The FCC in recent years has authorized a threefold increase in commercial spectrum for mobile broadband," the chairman said during a speech to the New America Foundation think tank. "But that increase will not allow us to keep pace with an estimated thirtyfold increase in traffic."

The voluntary approach is the least onerous for broadcasters of the several ideas the agency has floated, including forcing stations to relinquish half their spectrum and double up on transmission towers. Broadcast airwaves are appealing for wireless broadband because of their exceptional propagation characteristics and potential to raise tens of billions of dollars in auction revenue, Genachowski said.

The chairman asserted that TV spectrum is not used efficiently in most markets, where much of it sits unused, and argued that stations would "save costs" under the agency's proposal, though he didn't specify how.

"Broadcasters are ready to make the case that we are far and away the most efficient users of spectrum in Wednesday's communications marketplace," National Association of Broadcasters spokesman Dennis Wharton responded in a statement.

The association supports expanding broadband deployment "without threatening the future of free and local television," he said, emphasizing that stations returned more than a quarter of their spectrum upon switching to digital transmissions.

After his remarks, Genachowski was circumspect when asked whether he's confident that a voluntary approach can avert a spectrum shortage. "We think the plan that we'll move forward with is one that can work for everyone," he said.

Addressing another hot topic, Genachowski said the agency would pursue a public-private partnership that could include a "commercial licensee" to create a national wireless communications network for first responders.

The chairman will disclose more details during a news briefing Thursday. He did not explain how the proposal differs from a similar effort pursued by his predecessor that failed to materialize.

"If we get it right, broadband, and in particular mobile broadband, will be an enduring engine" for civic engagement, the economy and innovation, Genachowski said during his speech. "This is our moment. Let's seize it."