We’re looking forward to getting 500MHz of spectrum for mobile broadband use over the next 10 years, but for the next five, the FCC is looking to swap up 300MHz. Little by little, it’s on its way to doing just that. Last month, the FCC wanted to grab 90MHz of the Big Leo band and opened up comment on what to do with 35MHz of that band and whether it should be used for mobile broadband. Now, the FCC is looking to grab 90MHz from the MSS, or Mobile Satellite Service, bands, which include the 2GHz band, Big LEO band and L-band.
The beauty of snapping up all that spectrum is that it is being planned for mobile broadband use. Every little bit helps in filling that 500MHz quota, and it should also be a big help for the changing and growing mobile broadband landscape and usage.
In addition to this news, Clearwire was granted an extension for its Basic Trading Areas completion in Florida. PhoneScoop says:
Clearwire was mandated to swap out some 2.5GHz licenses in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach-Boca Raton areas. The deal has taken longer than Clearwire anticipated due to the number of licensees in those areas, and the FCC changed the deadline from June 2010, to January 15, 2011.
It looks like Clearwire might have a nice cushion now given the big extension.
[Via: PhoneScoop]