Tech at Night: Potentially promising FCC moves on Spectrum and the Spectrum Screen

Tech at Night

Top story: the FCC is moving forward with spectrum auctions, providing incentives for television stations to auction off their spectrum for wireless Internet use. We could see the auctions completed by the end of 2014.

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Everyone admits there’s a spectrum crunch, and on the right and left of the FCC they say it’s a difficult question of how to transfer spectrum to alleviate it. Greg Walden is right though that this is good “if implemented well.” Bruce Mehlman of iia calls it “a terrific start” and that’s also true.

Further, I think it’s pretty interesting that FCC is talking about making the spectrum screen consistent and transparent. Actions speak louder than words, but this would be good if done properly. If done properly, heh. The spectrum screen, by the way, is what they call the metrics they use to decide whether to intervene against spectrum-related deals.

The push for the cybersecurity executive order, defying the Senate which refused to pass the bill, reminds us that Mitt Romney must win, and he must understand that as President we need immediate repeals of bad EOs, and strong, reformist regulators appointed.

Remember when they told us that I was crazy, and that buyouts never help competition? Hold that thought as MetroPCS is on the block, with Sprint Nextel as a possible buyer. The same Sprint Nextel that insisted buyouts always hurt competition, during the AT&T/T-Mobile debate.

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I suspect, but can’t really prove as I haven’t researched it, that Fred Campbell is right and it’s not government subsidies that have anything to do with Google deploying fiber. Google as an Internet company depends on people having good Internet access. This is an investment in the future for them.

Less clear is how it helps Google in the future for them to get threats from state censorship organs in Brazil for their refusal to censor YouTube-published criticisms of Brazilian elected officials, but then in the end cave anyway. That, to me, makes as much sense as it would for NFL to cave to the unions now, when the damage has already been done on the field. Either tough it out, or give immediately. Why drag it out then gain nothing in the end?

Profit drives innovation. Innovation drives productivity. Productivity lifts all boats to prosperity. When we mess with innovation with regulation – or mess with profit through excessive taxation – we risk losing the whole chain to prosperity.

Oh you guys. The movement that defeated SOPA, which was ours and not the left’s, was not anti-copyright. It was pro-liberty. We were constructive, not destructive. So that’s why there’s no comparison with the online radio royalty debate, which aims to force copyright holders to sell at process dictated by government, and not by themselves. I will not join them in this fight.

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If New Zealand sides with copyright infringers like Kim Dotcom and against America, we should consider economic sanctions or something. This is ridiculous from a supposed ally, which New Zealand is supposed to be as a member of ANZUS.

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