Largent Challenges Broadcasters as CTIA Sets to Meet
CTIA President Steve Largent is pleased with the amount of attention spectrum issues are getting at the FCC and of Capitol Hill, he said Wednesday, as the group prepares for its annual meeting next week in Orlando. Largent said he’s optimistic Congress will approve legislation authorizing the FCC to conduct incentive auctions for TV spectrum. “This really is a critical timeframe for the wireless industry,” Largent said in an interview. “We have a number of issues that are before policymakers, regulators and legislators alike, and we're working very, very hard on those."
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Spectrum is a “huge issue” for CTIA members, though the industry ultimately will need more than the 500 MHz called for in the National Broadband Plan, Largent said. “Right now we need to get spectrum teed up for auction as quickly as possible, and the broadcasters are having a conniption fit,” he said. “I don’t fully understand why they're doing that, because they're not using the spectrum, and the FCC is talking about having a model where they would be compensated for the spectrum that they're not using and don’t need.” Largent said studies show that in the Washington area alone, 114 MHz of broadcast spectrum is unused. “We think they can repack that and continue to do their business and never miss a beat,” he said.
Largent, a Republican former member of the House, believes Congress will approve legislation giving the FCC authority for incentive auctions. “I don’t think the NAB has a strong argument to stop this, and I think that we have an incredible argument and that’s the 300 million Americans who are using our services and demanding more of it,” he said. “The facts are on our side and we're leading with the facts.” The push for auction authority also comes “at a time when the government needs money,” he noted. “That is also a powerful incentive for the legislators, particularly those who are on the Budget Committee, to consider this auction.” NAB didn’t respond by our deadline.
There are major divisions within this Congress, Largent conceded. “But I would tell you that on … the spectrum issue we have broad support among Republicans and Democrats, and that’s what gives me hope that this is something that’s doable in the Congress in the near term,” he said.
Largent said he’s pleased that in approving net neutrality rules in December, the agency did so under Title I of the Communications Act. “Most of our carriers can live with order,” he said. “I don’t they would have asked for this order, but they can live with the order they got.” CTIA is watching closely as court challenges by Verizon and MetroPCS move forward, Largent added.
Wireless taxes are another critical issue, Largent said, with legislation before Congress that would limit local and state taxing authority. “If you want to tax everybody, that’s fine,” he said. “The purpose [of the legislation] is not to let anyone single out the wireless industry, because we're already paying on average in this country 16.3 percent in taxes and fees.”
Largent said he’s “excited” about the upcoming show, CTIA’s first in Orlando since 2007, after a multi-year run in Las Vegas. “I've been here since 2003 but I'm still always amazed at this industry’s continual progress and innovation and this year is no different,” he said. “We're going to have 300,000 square-feet of floor space. We're going to be highlighting all of the efforts that our carriers and manufacturers and suppliers are making in 3G and 4G networks.”