Martin's 700Mhz Slight of Hand - The leak, the spin, the politics and the reality... - dslreports.com

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Martin's 700Mhz Slight of Hand
The leak, the spin, the politics and the reality...
(old news - 03:35PM Wednesday Sep 05 2007)
tags: competition · fcc · wireless

The Associated Press has an interesting piece on the FCC's handling of the 700Mhz spectrum auction so far, starting with FCC chief Martin's leaked announcement that his proposals would support open access and touching on the bizarre broadband industry Google/ILEC stage play that followed.

Martin said the rules would require winning bidders on the spectrum to let wireless customers use whatever phone and whatever kind of software they want on the network - something that would be new to the largely closed wireless industry. Similar stories followed, some quoting Martin. But the writers were forced to rely on the chairman's characterization of what was in his proposal rather than being able to read the proposal itself.

The report doesn't precisely answer why Martin leaked the plans early, other than to suggest it gave him an early opportunity to drum up political support via the apparently unquestioning press. Once the rules were released, critics stated they were filled with ample loopholes for incumbent operators and actually changed little.

The piece notes that FCC rules say the "content of agenda items" - such as draft proposals - are "nonpublic information" and "shall not be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any person outside the Commission" under penalty of possible termination.

Related:

Google Launches White Space Broadband Website

FCC Will Vote On Pending Mergers On Election Day

FCC Engineers Say White Space Broadband Works

Clearwire CEO: FCC Approval Would Be 'Good Policy.'

White House Opposes Free Wireless Broadband Plan

NAB Sues FCC Over White Space Broadband

WSJ: AT&T Is Dying

FCC Votes To Investigate Wireless Industry

Forums » Martin's 700Mhz Slight of Hand


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qworster join:2001-11-25 Los Angeles, CA 1 edit	It's the (crooked) FCC! What do you expect? If Commissioner Martin told me that the sun rose in the east. I'd be at the Santa Monica pier in the morning, looking WEST for the sunrise! THAT'S how forked the FCC tounges are!
	permalink · 2007-09-05 15:06:06 ·

sholling Premium join:2002-02-13 Hemet, CA	Re: It's the (crooked) FCC! I'll have you know that I think that Martin is the best FCC chairman that money can buy. Besides he has his future multi-million dollar/yr consulting gig with the incumbent telcos to think of. How can you possibly expect him to find time to look out for the peasantry when he has far more profitable things to do with his time in office?
	permalink · 2007-09-05 15:21:32 ·

nasadude

join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD

Re: It's the (crooked) FCC!

said by sholling

:

I'll have you know that I think that Martin is the best FCC chairman that money can buy. Besides he has his future multi-million dollar/yr consulting gig with the incumbent telcos to think of. How can you possibly expect him to find time to look out for the peasantry when he has far more profitable things to do with his time in office?

actually, I have heard he is interested in running for political office.

so first he will suck up some telco contributions, spend X years (assuming he is elected) pushing the telco agenda on the hill, THEN he will take the multi-million dollar job, probably lobbying the people on the hill he worked with.

If he doesn't get elected, he will step right into the lobbying job.

Now that's a job plan.

permalink · 2007-09-05 17:03:50 · Print ·

KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:

·Cricket Broadband

Re: It's the (crooked) FCC!

Face it. No matter what he does, Kevin Martin is set for life.

He might actually prove more effective as a lobbyist than the actual FCC comish.

I actually would like him to set up the acquisition of AT&T by Verizon, then the acquisition of Quest by Verizon.

BELL SYSTEM - BELL SYSTEM - BELL SYSTEM !!!.

Don't get me wrong, I prefer Western Electric for their phones and vacuum tubes alone.

Give the government 56 years to break it all up again.

It all gives C-SPAN 1,2,3 some quality programming to broadcast for decades.

I remember simply 'The Phone Company', I would not mind that concept returning to real life.

Of course, I would love to watch the re-breakup too.

Now thats entertainment.......
--
We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat !!

permalink · 2007-09-06 23:17:48 · Print ·

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK

·AT&T DSL Service

·AT&T Southwest

FCC Chief breaks rules to create favorable press?

Say it isn't so!

We all figured this Auction would be highly suspect from the start. Looks to be right on track, heads they win, tails, we lose.

I'd love to see some well-funded third party step in as the white Knight and buy up this spectrum for new services and competition.... But, alas, I expect that the consumer will be beaten like a red-headed stepchild as a large incumbent buys out the licenses and then sits on them or merely assimilates them into their existing infrastructure of services.... no new competition, no new broadband options.

Business as usual at the FCC.... Move along, nothing to see here....
--
"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!)

permalink · 2007-09-05 15:25:28 · Print ·

Techie714

join:2005-08-02
Anaheim, CA

700 Mhz Auction VERY Important

I dont think the American consumer has any idea how important this 700Mhz auction is. If someone like Google or another "open source" type friendly enterprise wins this it may change the wireless landscape completely in the U.S. for a LONG time. But if ATT/Verizon win it's going to SUCK for the U.S. consumer BIG TIME. We will have less choice & higher costs when it comes to wireless.

permalink · 2007-09-05 15:43:40 ·

nasadude join:2001-10-05 Rockville, MD	Re: 700 Mhz Auction VERY Important I don't think the American consumer has any idea how important the FCC is; most of them don't even realize how important the internet is.
	permalink · 2007-09-05 17:05:00 ·

KrK Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy Premium join:2000-01-17 Tulsa, OK	Re: 700 Mhz Auction VERY Important Yeah... or maybe that Voting is important and voting these guys OUT regularly might help the situation.
	permalink · 2007-09-05 18:08:02 ·

ftthz If love can kill hate can also save join:2005-10-17	Re: 700 Mhz Auction VERY Important Status quo
	permalink · 2007-09-05 18:23:28 ·

CylonRed Premium,MVM join:2000-07-06 Bloom County	The FCC is not voted on and no one knows ahead of time who will be in charge of the FCC when the Pres is elected... Not sure who can be voted out to 'fix' the FCC.
	permalink · 2007-09-06 12:30:50 ·

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK

·AT&T DSL Service

·AT&T Southwest

Re: 700 Mhz Auction VERY Important

Yes, the FCC isn't voted on, but the Administration is, as are members of Congress and the Senate. *Maybe* is the Citizenry would all vote, and turn out politicians regularly for acting against their interests, then we wouldn't get the FCC and other agencies so beholden to Corporate interests and it would go back to protecting the public trust and the countries best interests.
--
"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!)

permalink · 2007-09-06 14:10:48 · Print ·

CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County

Re: 700 Mhz Auction VERY Important

You would have to assume that people know that what the FCC is doing is against their interest... That would be problem #1 before asking folks to vote anyone out. Unfortunately - too many local/state/Fed issues to try and learn at any given time. I can't hardly scratch the surface and the language used on these issues does not help in the least.

I am in IT but even I am not sure what effect the 700 Mhz will auction have. No idea what uses there are for any particular wireless spectrum. As long as it is an auction - those businesses/interests that have the deepest pockets WILL win.

Not to mention - what is to prevent an 'open source' friendly enterprise won't turn out to be the exact opposite when push comes to shove? Unfortunately, I am more pessimistic than optimistic on this individual issue.

permalink · 2007-09-06 14:23:24 · Print ·

tap tap tap @comcast.net	okay already let move on to something that much more near this is years away...im already tired of hearing about this day in and day out...it will be 10+ years before we see anything in the 700 mhz range....
	permalink · 2007-09-05 19:15:33 ·

UhhhWrong @verizon.net	Re: okay already let move on to something that much more near said by tap tap tap : this is years away...im already tired of hearing about this day in and day out...it will be 10+ years before we see anything in the 700 mhz range.... Uhhhhh! Wrong on so many levels.
	permalink · 2007-09-05 20:07:22 ·

plk bo may sleep in loft Premium join:2002-04-20 Ogden, IA	File an Injunction Too bad some company wouldn't piss away 5 mil and file and injunction to stop the auction for about 18 months.
	permalink · 2007-09-05 22:07:46 ·

packetscan Premium join:2004-10-19 Bridgeport, CT clubs: 1 edit	FOI Went will the Bush Led invasion of US rights end? -- Reach out and Tap someone! Edit: Don't post when you haven't slept in 36 hours.
	permalink · 2007-09-06 08:44:40 ·

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Forums » Martin's 700Mhz Slight of Hand


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