CWA: FCC Spectrum Auction Must be Open and Competitive

The Federal Communications Commission now is writing the rules for an auction of unused broadcast spectrum, and CWA says the rules must be fair.

The Commission's goals of raising sufficient funds for a public safety network and to make sure that the spectrum is used efficiently for the public can only be achieved through "an open and competitive auction in which every carrier can participate equally," CWA wrote in a letter to FCC Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn.

T-Mobile and Sprint already are looking for special treatment and want the FCC to establish different rules for different bidders.

"The FCC should not favor one competitor over another," CWA said, citing T-Mobile's recent combination with MetroPCS, the spectrum it acquired from AT&T and Verizon Wireless, and the $3 billion cash penalty fee it received from AT&T as evidence of its strength in the market. Sprint received billions of new funds as part of the Softbank deal and, in combination with its affiliate Clearwire, controls more spectrum than any competitor, CWA noted, adding, "these companies are strong competitors."

Read the full letter here.