Larry Page: U.S. government should open up its spectrum

The U.S. government should explore ways to conduct real-time auctions of its vast, and often unused, wireless spectrum holdings, with agencies holding spectrum to get the profits from the sales, Google cofounder Larry Page said Thursday. ...continue reading 'Larry Page: U.S. government should open up its spectrum'

FCC takes first step toward spectrum re-auction

The Federal Communications Commission has taken a first step toward re-auctioning a band of spectrum that failed to sell in the 700MHz auctions that ended in March. ...continue reading 'FCC takes first step toward spectrum re-auction'

Google requests open access pledge from Verizon

Google has asked the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to obtain a pledge from Verizon Wireless that it will honor the open-access conditions on a band of 700MHz spectrum before selling the spectrum to the carrier. ...continue reading 'Google requests open access pledge from Verizon'

Report sheds light on failure to sell safety spectrum

Lease payments sought by public-safety agencies on an adjoining block of spectrum were not the only factor in the failure of a portion of wireless spectrum to sell in the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's recent 700MHz spectrum auction, the FCC's inspector general said Friday. ...continue reading 'Report sheds light on failure to sell safety spectrum'

Comcast peer-to-peer blocking was widespread, says FCC chairman

Comcast's slowing of peer-to-peer traffic appeared to be more widespread than the company has disclosed, the chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday. ...continue reading 'Comcast peer-to-peer blocking was widespread, says FCC chairman'

Lawmakers complain that Google 'gamed' auction

Three lawmakers complained Tuesday that Google 'maneuvered' its way into an open wireless network without having to come up with a winning bid in the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's recently completed 700MHz spectrum auction. ...continue reading 'Lawmakers complain that Google 'gamed' auction'

Microsoft 'white spaces' prototype shuts down

For the second time, a device submitted by Microsoft for U.S. Federal Communications Commission testing of wireless 'white spaces' technology has stopped working and been taken out of the process. ...continue reading 'Microsoft 'white spaces' prototype shuts down'

Google suggests safe harbor for wireless mics

Google has asked the FCC to carve out a set of off-limits channels for proposed wireless devices that could operate in unused television spectrum bands, in hopes that the proposal will help the FCC approve the use of so-called 'white space devices.' ...continue reading 'Google suggests safe harbor for wireless mics'

Large block in 700MHz auction meets reserve price

A nationwide block of spectrum in the 700MHz band being auctioned by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission received a high bid exceeding the 'reserve,' or minimum, price of $4.6 billion on Thursday morning. ...continue reading 'Large block in 700MHz auction meets reserve price'

FTC settles with advertiser for spam campaign

An online advertiser that drove traffic to its Web sites by sending out spam with misleading subject lines has agreed to settle a U.S. Federal Communications Commission complaint charging that it failed to tell consumers they had to spend money to receive so-called free products, the FTC announced Wednesday. ...continue reading 'FTC settles with advertiser for spam campaign'

700MHz auction update: High bids total $3.2 billion

The high bids totalled $3.2 billion in the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's auction of wireless spectrum licenses in the 700MHz band after three rounds and a day and a half of bidding. ...continue reading '700MHz auction update: High bids total $3.2 billion'

FCC auction reaches $2.8B for 700-MHz wireless licenses

At the close of the first full day of bidding for 700-MHz wireless spectrum Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission reported nearly US$2.8 billion in provisional winning bids. ...continue reading 'FCC auction reaches $2.8B for 700-MHz wireless licenses'

As US spectrum auction opens, questions linger

One of the major questions as the U.S. Federal Communications Commission kicks off a multibillion-dollar spectrum auction Thursday is whether the auction will produce a winning bidder that will challenge telecom and cable-based broadband providers with a national wireless broadband network. ...continue reading 'As US spectrum auction opens, questions linger'

FCC auction draws repeat entrepreneurs

A handful of people who bid in the disastrous C-Block PCS auction in 1996 plan to participate in the upcoming 700MHz contest, despite warning signs indicating the potential for similar troubles. ...continue reading 'FCC auction draws repeat entrepreneurs'

Startup Frontline Wireless shuts down

Frontline Wireless, a startup that had planned to bid in the FCC's upcoming 700MHz spectrum auction, has 'closed for business,' a spokeswoman said Wednesday. ...continue reading 'Startup Frontline Wireless shuts down'

Comcast welcomes FCC inquiry into traffic management

Cable-modem service provider Comcast said Wednesday that it would welcome a U.S. Federal Communications Commission investigation into its broadband traffic management practices. ...continue reading 'Comcast welcomes FCC inquiry into traffic management'

CES: FCC chief: Switch to digital TV won't be postponed

In a broad discussion at the Consumer Electronics Show, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin on Tuesday confirmed that the deadline for the country's switch to digital TV next year will not be postponed, explained the rationale behind the requirements for the current 700MHz auction and gave hints about his thinking regarding various communications megamergers. ...continue reading 'CES: FCC chief: Switch to digital TV won't be postponed'

Many small companies look to bid in 700MHz auction

The upcoming 700MHz spectrum auctions by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission have drawn bid applications from giant companies including Google and AT&T. But a number of small companies and individuals have submitted bid applications as well. ...continue reading 'Many small companies look to bid in 700MHz auction'

700MHz auction draws Verizon, Chevron

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday released lists of accepted and incomplete applications for the auction of 700MHz wireless spectrum, in which it will sell licenses to frequencies that are set to be vacated by analog TV stations. It has accepted 96 applications and reported 170 as incomplete. The latter need to be completed by Jan. 4. ...continue reading '700MHz auction draws Verizon, Chevron'

Groups launch new white spaces campaign

A coalition of technology vendors, consumer groups and think tanks has launched a campaign to persuade the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to approve wireless devices that would operate in unused television spectrum. ...continue reading 'Groups launch new white spaces campaign'