Free State, ITIF Observers ID Key Parts of Senate Spectrum Hearing
Industry observers questioned the ease of implementation of spectrum proposals discussed at a recent Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the topic (see 1507290057) but underscored their necessity. “Congress needs to ensure that the incentives are truly market oriented so that…
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a proper incentive is established,” said Greg Vogt, a Free State Foundation visiting fellow, in a blog post. “The time for becoming more serious about finding new mobile broadband spectrum is now. The low hanging fruit of spectrum available for reallocation has already been picked, and now we are down to the harder choices.” He dismissed any concerns about whether government holders of spectrum should receive part of the profit for its sale since they never paid for it, and insists they should. “I agree that Congress should define permissible budget expenditures,” Vogt added. “Using a bold new approach may help overcome the existing inertia regarding the repurposing of government-assigned spectrum and help achieve the Obama Administration's spectrum vision more rapidly and effectively than current efforts. A possible ‘failure’ would be no worse than the inevitable train wreck that is rapidly approaching using the current approach.” Information Technology and Innovation Foundation telecom policy analyst Doug Brake also summed up key parts of the testimony in a blog post this week: “For practical purposes the needed congressional actions for both federal incentive auctions and narrower, right-to-negotiate auctions would begin in the same place. Either of these mechanisms would require reform to the Miscellaneous Receipts Act and the Antideficiency Act -- a pair of laws that prevent payments directly to government agencies.The GSA-style spectrum fees, while still requiring congressional action, may be more straightforward to implement.” The Commerce Committee is expected to take a bigger dive into spectrum legislation this fall.