FCC Finally Unveils its Wireless Plan
It wouldn't surprise you to know that mobile devices are very, very popular, would it? How about if I went on to say that the market is expected to continue to grow in leaps in bounds with no predicted end in sight? Well the FCC realizes this too and has been sent scrambling to figure out how to accommodate this sudden burst of airwave demand.
Much to the dismay of many, federal regulators unveiled a sweeping plan to devote more airwaves to the anticipated explosion of mobile devices. This is the precursor to an inevitable battle when lawmakers are asked to help turn parts of the unused broadcast spectrum over to wireless companies.
In a nutshell the proposal wants to persuade broadcasters (including NBC, Fox, ABC and CBS) to give up airwaves for wireless use. In return, it will seek permission from Congress to auction off the spectrum to pay the television stations.
The deal may not appeal to broadcasters unless they are offered very large cuts of the proceeds; a move expected to spark a public outcry since wireless auction payments typically go to the U.S. Treasury.
The situation is pretty serious considering carriers like AT&T and Verizon, are under extreme pressure to increase their network capacity due to surging demand for wireless broadband.
