Daily Archives: April 15, 2008

Congress wonders about emergency spectrum today at 9:30 am

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I know I’m the early bird with lots of news today. It’s because my favorite tax guy has already filed my extension so I can move on with life today and there seems to be a lot of broadband news.

Apparently the House Energy and Commerce telecommunications and the Internet subcommittee wants to know from the FCC and others why the recent 700 Mhz Spectrum Auction was so successful *except* for the segment saved for building a public safety network. The meeting to discuss the matter is planned for today (Tuesday April 15 at 9:30 to noon DC time and will be broadcast online.)

The plan was to use public airwaves and private money to create a nationwide emergency communications network. The winning vendor would build the network and make a profit by selling access to wireless service providers. However, the auction bidding didn’t meet the minimum bid requirements. Well, it sounds as if it didn’t get any bids.

There was one company (Frontline) who was expected to win this job but weeks before the bidding they dropped out, claiming they couldn’t raise the funds required, which was $1.33 billion.

I followed this story earlier on when a company called Cyren Call was the expected public safety net builder. They advocated for the use of public spectrum, but then they kind of disappeared except that the Chairman of Cyren Call became an adviser to the auction.

So now Congress wants to know – what in the heck is going on? And – what in the heck should they do now?

House Passes Broadband Study Bill

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Thanks to The Bemidji Pioneer Press for keeping me up to the minute this week on the progress of the broadband study bill. I’m going to paste their info below. I wasn’t able to find much on the Legislative web site yet, but it can take a while. I have been following the story in earlier blog posts.

I think the Bemidji paper did a great job of capturing the range of legislative opinions on the bill.

Study controversial

Rural lawmakers were divided Monday over a House-approved plan creating a task force to study a statewide high-speed broadband Internet plan.

Some rural representatives said high-speed Internet options are limited in their areas. Rep. Mary Ellen Otremba, DFL-Long Prairie, said there are service “holes” all over her district. “I can’t get broadband, but my neighbor can,” she said.

Ultra-high speed Internet connections will be important to the state’s future, said bill author Rep. Sandra Masin, DFL-Eagan. The bill, which passed 98-33, asks the task force to look at how both public and private entities could be involved in a statewide broadband plan.

Rep. Larry Howes, R-Walker, wanted the study just to look at the Twin Cities area, where interest originated. Howes said high-speed Internet options are available in his area of northern Minnesota.

“This is nothing more than a business plan for the state of Minnesota to develop Internet connections throughout the state,” added Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Wabasha. “Our private sector is taking care of this need; we need to let them do it.”