FCC To Loosen Wireless Ownership Rules

jgaynor writes: "The FCC on Thursday voted to remove the existing restriction on how many frequencies a single wireless provider can own in any one location. While this is a blow for consumers who want more cell bandwidth and services like data or video - they could end up getting hosed as this might knock some smaller players out of the market and decrease competition, raise prices, etc. Excite has coverage; CBS Marketwatch does too."

Comments

Um, what did you expect?

[sphealey]

1) George Bush won the election.
2) Michael Powell was appointed Chairman of the FCC.

Now, given that Mr. Powell is (a) very, very connected to the heaviest hitters in the Republican Party and in big business (b) has stated explicitly that he sees nothing wrong with 1 or 2 mega-corporations controlling all communications in the United States --- why would you expect any different outcome?

sPh

Georgist Land Tax

[Baldrson]

Treating spectrum locale as "land" is a perfect demonstration of the value of a Georgist single tax aka "taxation only of unimproved land value". The spectrum locale "land" would have zero value without someone around to enforce the property right -- so the "economic rent" on that property right should be, simply, the costs of defense of that property right. This would fall out of "warrior's insurance".

Too many fish in the pond, it's Darwin time

[Brian Stretch]

Forbes covered this two months ago. Basically, because too many providers are splitting up too little bandwidth, cell phone coverage sucks. It's high time the FCC got out of the way and let the stronger players acquire the weaker. Maybe service will improve to the point where I'd actually consider buying a cell phone.

On a related note, I have no sympathy for the companies that overpaid for spectrum licenses nor the greedy Feds who thought they had a chance in hell of collecting all those $billions. Golly, who pays for those license fees? Can you say massive tax on users?