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To: S100 who wrote (101534)	7/11/2001 2:07:04 AM
From: S100	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 152472

Bush administration to delay airwaves sale By Reuters July 10, 2001, 11:50 a.m. PT WASHINGTON--The Bush administration will soon propose a temporary delay in the upcoming sale of airwaves for advanced mobile wireless services while it formulates a new framework for allocating the spectrum, said Rep. Chip Pickering, a Mississippi Republican. The government has been struggling to find suitable airwaves for so-called third-generation wireless services for companies like Verizon Wireless and AT&T Wireless because the most-desired spectrum is being used by the government, schools and health care centers. "We believe that a decision will soon be made to push back the looming spectrum auctions so we can have a moratorium, so to speak, while we try to reach a new allocation framework," he told reporters after speaking to a forum on the subject. The auction of some airwaves for 3G services is slated to be completed by Sept. 30, 2002, but the Federal Communications Commission has already postponed allocating the spectrum and urged for a delay of the sale which was mandated by Congress. There have been meetings involving high-level White House officials on the subject, Pickering said, including from the Defense Department, Office of Management and Budget, the National Security Council and the Treasury Department. The lawmaker plans to introduce legislation soon that he said will attempt to create a new process for deciding who gets what airwaves as well as compensate agencies that move off airwaves to make way for commercial services. "I think the most fundamental part of the legislation is establishing a new structure in which we can make spectrum decisions and dedicate the funds, the proceeds to relocate and compensate all the entities involved in allocation decisions," he said. Currently, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration sets the airwaves for government use while the FCC auctions spectrum for commercial purposes. Wireless companies want a slice of airwaves used by the military and other government agencies who are balking at moving because of the cost, time to deploy new equipment, and questions of whether they can get comparable spectrum. The House Energy and Commerce Committee plans to hold hearings in the next two weeks to address the spectrum problem and will likely invite Commerce Secretary Donald Evans and top officials from the Defense Department, FCC and wireless industry, Pickering said. Story Copyright © 2001 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Related Quotes Quotes delayed 20+ minutes SPRINT CORP(PCS GRP) PCS 23.38 0.00 AT&T WIRELESS SVCS AWE 16.13 0.00 VODAFONE GROUP PLC VOD 21.44 0.00 VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS VZ 55.20 0.00 Quote Lookup: Symbol Lookup Free Real-Time Quotes Send us news tips Related News FCC delays allocating wireless airwaves June 27, 2001 FCC ruled in violation on wireless spectrum June 22, 2001 Get this story's "Big Picture" news.cnet.com