FCC Chairman calls for solution to spectrum crunch

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski called for Congress to support a proposal that would reallocate spectrum capacity to avoid congestion as mobile broadband usage skyrockets. In a speech at the Founders Den in San Francisco on Nov. 4, the Chairman said that demand for the airwaves is rapidly exceeding supply. Smart phones use 24 times more bandwidth than traditional cell phones; tablets use 120 times more bandwidth. Mobile broadband traffic is estimated to increase by 35 times over the next five years.

The proposal would give the FCC the authority to auction off existing spectrum currently held by license holders, perhaps broadcasters, who would voluntarily participate and share in the proceeds. He said that such incentivized auctions would also bring $25 billion to the U.S. Treasury, as scored by the Congressional Budget Office.

He estimates the benefits of the proposal, which is currently moving its way through Congress, to be immense. "We have a tremendous opportunity around mobile to drive our economy, to create jobs, to provide terrific new services for years and decades to come," said Chairman Genachowski.

The Chairman spoke with Techwire.net at the event which was sponsored by CALInnovates, SV Angel and the Founders Den.

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