Spend $16 Billion and Learn how to Share. Mr. Rogers would be proud.
How much you wanna bet there are a bunch of former AT&T and Verizon Legal Weenies out there looking for work, since they missed the Devil in the Details that allows Wireless Microphones to operate in that UHF Spectrum Range they just spent Megabucks by the tractor trailer full to purchase? Wet Machine has the full story, and some good (and gleefully gloating) analysis on the issue.
AT&T, Verizon, and the rest of the 700 MHZ auction winners therefore face a bit of a dilemma. They just dropped a bundle on the 700 MHZ, and damned if they want to set precedent by allowing a bunch of illegal squatters to use “their” spectrum. Heck, if they’d thought of it earlier, they’d probably have initiated a rulemaking to migrate the legal users.
In fact, under a fair reading of the rules, if the FCC does nothing, licensed wireless microphone systems may enjoy equal or superior rights to 700 MHz Auction winners. OTOH, no one involved is stupid about the politics, giving an incentive to maintain a low profile. If you don’t mind telling shareholders that the NFL may have superior rights in the spectrum you just paid $16 Billion for.
Meanwhile, for those of us happy to see the NAB and the wireless microphone folks get their comeuppance, while not weeping overmuch for the incumbent wireless winners, one word: SCHWEET.
Meanwhile, it also seems that there might be a chance for a third broadband pipe after all. Sprint and ClearWire are back in negotiation over Wimax. And this time Google, Intel, BestBuy and “some cable providers” are possibly throwing money into the pot to make it happen. The test on Wimax in Chicago last summer was very encouraging, comparing the speed and quality of the connection to what I’m currently getting on a fast DSL connection.
This is timely, considering there’s been another report coming out of Europe that again shows how badly they’re kicking US butt on broadband deployment, speed, quality, price and, most importantly, COMPETITION.
