Lawmakers Introduce Incentive Auctions Bill

Reps. Rick Boucher (D., Va.) and Cliff Stearns (R., Fla.), the respective chairman and ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s communications, technology, and the Internet subcommittee, introduced legislation today to authorize the FCC to hold incentive auctions, which could free up TV and other spectrum in exchange for broadcasters and other licensees getting a cut of auction revenues. But the bill makes clear that any spectrum return by licensees must be voluntary.

The national broadband plan (NBP) recommends that the FCC use incentive auctions to help reallocate 120 megahertz of TV spectrum for wireless broadband services - part of 500 MHz of spectrum to be identified over the next decade. The NBP also suggests the Commission consider employing the mechanism to free up mobile satellite service (MSS) spectrum.

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