America’s broadband providers are waiting to find out whether the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will impose any restrictions on an upcoming spectrum auction, reuters.com reports.
The group’s wireless bureau chief, Roger Sherman, said this week that it may still look to introduce a cap on the amount of spectrum each individual bidder will be able to acquire when the sale takes place next year.
He was quoted by androidheadlines.com as saying: “The FCC retains its authority to design these auctions in a way that promotes competition including ensuring licenses are available only to certain kinds of carriers and a cap on how much spectrum you can acquire. All those things are being considered.”
It is thought that Verizon and AT&T, the country’s largest carriers, will be affected most by the decision, although smaller companies could benefit from easier access to certain frequencies. Without the spending power of their larger peers, some firms have struggled to compete for space on frequencies below 1Ghz, which are considered to be the strongest.
The auction is expected to act like an amnesty, with TV channels given the chance to pass some of their own spectrum to the FCC for internet providers to use. The money raised will then go back to the broadcasters.
