In a speech to the CTIA convention in Las Vegas on Wednesday
laying out her view of some incentive auctions priorities and deadlines,
Democratic commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said that the FCC should have its
band plan for combining broadcasters and wireless operators in place by the
third quarter of this year.
"All good deliberations must come to an end," she
told the group in outlining what she called "Ten Ideas for Spectrum Right
Now."
The FCC has just sought comment on some variations on that
band plan, including one offered up by wireless companies and
broadcasters, though it is one with which the FCC's Wireless Bureau has issues.
According
to her prepared text, Rosenworcel did not weigh in on any of the plans.
Among her other "ideas": Rosenworcel said the FCC
should, by the end of the year, share its methodology for repacking stations after
the auction.
"This will give broadcasters a better chance to assess
the opportunities and impacts of the incentive auction," she said.
Rosenworcel said the FCC should also signal now that it will hold the incentive
auction in fourth quarter 2014.
And taking a page from her former boss and
former FCC commissioner Mike Copps, Rosenworcel has proposed a series of four
public hearings on the FCC's upcoming incentive auctions.
"We welcome Commissioner Roserworcel's call for a working group on international issues and a series of FCC expert hearings to drill down on the open questions," said National Association of Broadcasters spokesman Dennis Wharton.
