The Federal Communications Commission is scheduled to vote this morning on the rules governing the January auction of valuable airwaves. These airwaves are coveted by phone, cable and Internet companies of all sizes because they are ideal for carrying wireless signals.
The biggest debate has been over whether the FCC will require about one-third of those airwaves to be used to build a nationwide network that will work with any wireless device, as Chairman Kevin Martin has proposed. He seems to have gotten majority support for that plan, which has the potential to bring big change to the wireless industry. But Google and a number of other tech companies and public interest groups, including Public Knowledge, Free Press and the Open Internet Coalition have been pushing for stronger rules that would also require the network to be open to all software, applications and third-party companies. Martin has said he doesn't support the extra open-access requirements.
AT&T has said it can live with Martin's proposal that will open the network up to all devices. Verizon Wireless opposes the idea.
Source: blog.washingtonpost.com
Tags: airwaves | applications | AT&T | auction | Federal Communications Commission | Google | internet | Kevin Martin | network device | phone cable | Rules | software | tech groups | third-party | verizon | wireless signals
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