WiMAX Auction 86 results: rural America gets screwed again
Gregory Rose, co-author of the research report The ‘WiMAX Band’ (2.5 GHz): Characteristics, Technology, Major Spectrum Holders in the BRS-EBS Service and Prospects for Auction 86, has posted an article summarizing the winners and losers of the recent FCC auction of spectrum in the “WiMAX Band”. Clearwire got most of the licenses followed by Digital Bridge. Unfortunately 17 licenses got no bidders:
These licenses were overwhelmingly in rural areas, continuing the pattern established by Clearwire and its cableco and telco partners of redlining a substantial portion of rural America for broadband service generally and WiMax in particular. If this pattern had been allowed to prevail in rural electrification, much of the West and the South would still not have electricity. It makes you wonder where FDR is when you really need him.
Read the rest of the story here.
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A century ago, when inexpensive electricity was available to only a small fraction of the U.S. population, incumbent suppliers of electricity sought to prevent the public sector from offering electricity for many of the same reasons incumbent broadband providers now argue against community broadband deployment and services. Back then, incumbents sought to limit competition by arguing that local governments didn’t have the expertise to offer something as complex as electricity. They argued that their own businesses would suffer if they faced competition from cities and towns. Local community leaders recognized that their economic survival and the health and welfare of their citizens depended on wiring their communities. They understood that it would take both private and public investment to bring electricity to all Americans. Fortunately, they prevailed.
Just as municipal electric systems proved critical to making access to electric service universal in the 20th Century, municipal networks can make broadband access universal in the 21st Century–as long as they have the freedom to do so.
“Broadband to every American is key to maintaining our economic leadership” Dr. Benjamin Hooks, civil rights giant talking tonight at FCC meeting in Memphis, TN.