So long, net neutrality: FCC to focus on spectrum in new year

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski says freeing up more airwaves will be the top agency priority for 2011.

The agency wants to make more spectrum available for mobile broadband so consumers can get on the Internet through their phones without their service grinding to a halt. 

"To seize the opportunities of our mobile future, we need to tackle the challenges of our invisible infrastructure. We need to free up more spectrum," Genachowski plans to say in a speech at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on Friday, according to prepared remarks. 

Genachowski touted his incentive auction proposal as one of the ways to solve the problem. The policy would offer carrots to broadcasters to get off the airwaves, but it needs approval from Congress before the FCC can move forward.

"Incentive auctions are an essential tool to unleash spectrum, and a vital part of seizing the opportunities of mobile. It's a non-partisan issue with bipartisan support," he said. 

He suggested the airwaves could be put to more efficient use than broadcast TV stations have been able to do.

"[S]ome broadcasters are making effective use of the capabilities of their spectrum, but some are not. For those who are not, their spectrum could be put to higher use for other purposes," he said, adding that the auctions will be voluntary. 

Genachowski suggested he has industry support for his spectrum goals.

"And during our work on the National Broadband Plan, the FCC received a strong letter from over a hundred companies — including Amazon, Apple, AT&T, Cisco, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, and Verizon — entities representing many billions in investment and millions of American jobs," he said.