Over the last decade, the increase in consumer use of cell phones, smartphones and tablets has highlighted the growing problem of limited available spectrum. Though much of the spectrum is owned by mobile providers, a large portion remains occupied by broadcast television stations that are reluctant to relinquish ownership.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to combat the problem using a three-phase strategy known as “incentive auctions.” In the first phase, the FCC will conduct a reverse auction in which it asks broadcasters to tell the FCC how much it would cost for the agency to buy them out. The FCC plans to accept the lowest bids to free up the maximum possible spectrum at the lowest possible cost, rearrange the remaining broadcasters so that they’re clustered together in the electromagnetic spectrum and put the newly-freed blocks of spectrum up for auction.
Though the broad structure of the program has already been dictated by Congress, the FCC Is still seeking public input on the details for the proposal. Many public interest and industry groups have already praised the FCC’s plan.
