A proposal to return much of the spectrum used by commercial television broadcasters is gaining some mindshare in Washington telecommunications circles. A high ranking FCC official recently suggested it might be possible to craft a “grand bargain,” in which broadcasters return unused portions of their digital television spectrum to the government in exchange for proceeds from an auction. The spectrum to be auctioned off could fulfill a coming need for spectrum to be used by the burgeoning wireless broadband industry.
The Progress & Freedom Foundation will host a forum on Tuesday, December 1, to explore these issues at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. FCC Omnibus Broadband Initiative director Blair Levin is expected to be among the panelists.
