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The Impact of Public Advocacy Reforms on the Spectrum Auction Process
Deadline:
3/09Summary
In the spring and summer of 2007, the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition (PISC) pressed the FCC for significant changes to the process auctioning spectrum licenses for the returned analog broadcast spectrum. The purpose of these reforms was to (a) introduce new entrants into the wireless world -- particularly women and minorities, and (b) prevent incumbents from colluding to distribute licenses at artificially low prices. Many of the reforms of the public interest groups were adopted. The desired research would examine (a) whether these reforms achieved their goals; and (b) what further reforms are necessary?
Purpose
Analyze recent public-interest successes (and failures) in shaping the terms of the current round of FCC spectrum auctions, and their impact on future auctions.
Contact
Proposing Organization
Media Access Project (MAP) is a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to promoting the public’s First Amendment right to access a diverse marketplace of ideas in the electronic mass media of today and tomorrow. For over 35 years, MAP has promoted the public interest before the FCC and the Courts, advocating for an open and diverse media that protects the free flow of information, promotes universal and equitable access, and encourages vibrant public discourse on critical issues facing our society.
Location of Work
Topic(s) of Work
Spectrum Auctions, DC AdvocacyDescription
In the spring and summer of 2007, the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition (PISC) pressed the FCC for significant changes to the process auctioning spectrum licenses for the returned analog broadcast spectrum. The purpose of these reforms was to (a) introduce new entrants into the wireless world -- particularly women and minorities, and (b) prevent incumbents from colluding to distribute licenses at artificially low prices. Many of the reforms of the public interest groups were adopted. Most notably (and over broad industry opposition) “anonymous bidding” rules that conceal all information with regard to bidder eligibility or the identity of bidders during the auction. Significant rule changes also included package bidding (allowing a bidder to place a bid on an entire “package” of licenses rather than risk winning only some licenses needed for the bidder’s desired coverage), the availability of a national license and REAG licenses, and the “open access” rule applied to one license block. Other rules, such as spectrum caps, were rejected. The desired research would examine (a) whether these reforms achieved their goals; and (b) what further reforms – such as adoption of previously rejected rules -- are necessary?
MAP would be a primary user of this research in its engagement with the FCC, but the work would clearly have wider applicability among the range of groups working on public interest spectrum policy and internet freedom issues.
A communications or law journal article would be one appropriate output. It is also important to provide one or more short-form versions that can be circulated in different policy contexts.
The project will require access to a wide range of data sources (to establish correlations in prices for licenses, bidding behaviors, etc.), as well as require a great deal of manual data entry from the FCC’s auction records. Sophisticated software for data manipulation, drawing of coverage maps, and other graphics and tables will be required. Finally, use of proprietary data will likely be necessary to establish subscriber rates and coverage maps of auction participants.
The meaningful timeframe for this work on the advocacy side is approximately one year: March 2009.