BURNS SEEKS APPOINTMENT OF MONT. PSC'S ROWE TO FCC
Sen. Burns (R-Mont.) said he would push appointment of Mont. PSC Comr. Bob Rowe to FCC, although he admitted other members, notably Sen. Hollings (D-S.C.), had other candidates in mind. “We're going to try to do something with [Rowe],” Burns said Wed. at OPASTCO conference in Washington. He also addressed what he said was mixed effectiveness of Telecom Act, and wouldn’t rule out possibility of rewrite: “It has worked very well, [but] in some areas it has not. Will we have to open it up down the road? Maybe so.”
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Burns said action was needed to revise spectrum management policy and said Congress at some point would address FCC’s approach to selling large blocks of spectrum, rather than allocating smaller blocks at auction. OPASTCO members told Burns that current policy inhibited ability of small and rural carriers to bid for spectrum. “We understand that, and I imagine it will come up,” he said.
Congressional staffer said Sen. Brownback (R-Kan.) later in week or possibly next week would introduce bill to lift 45 MHz spectrum ownership cap, which he said was move Brownback believed was necessary since companies offering voice service could run out of spectrum, inhibiting ability to offer new 3G services to consumers. He acknowledged that FCC might remedy situation before legislative solution was adopted.