WASHINGTON-Three of the main champions to use air-to-ground spectrum in the 800 MHz band for in-flight broadband communications filed incomplete applications for the scheduled May 10 auction and must refile within the next week if they want to participate, according to the Federal Communications Commission.
Verizon Airfone Inc., Space Data Spectrum Holdings L.L.C. and AirCell Inc. filed incomplete applications; although a company connected to AirCell-AC BidCo L.L.C.-had its application accepted.
The most notable surprise was the lack of an application from Boeing Co., which operates the Connexion satellite-linked in-flight broadband service.
Another surprise: JetBlue’s LiveTV L.L.C. will need to resubmit its application to participate.
In addition to AC BidCo, the FCC accepted the applications of AMTS Consortium L.L.C., Intelligent Transportation & Monitoring Wireless, Unison Spectrum L.L.C. and WorldCell Inc.
The FCC set a May 10 date to auction 800 MHz air-to-ground licenses. The FCC is auctioning the four megahertz of spectrum in the 800 MHz ATG band after it decided that the current ATG spectrum was being underutilized. Verizon Airfone, the only licensee offering service in the band today, must vacate the band by May 2010. If Verizon Airfone-or an affiliate-wins at auction, Verizon Airfone must detail its transition from existing operations to the new band plan. Verizon is not allowed to control all four megahertz as the government aims to spark competition in the band.
The commission said that it plans to give small-business bidding credits in the 800 MHz auction. The commission is also planning to auction spectrum in the 400 MHz general-aviation band.
Since the FCC will be auctioning the air-to-ground spectrum, which is already used for communications while in flight, the interference concerns with cellular use are not a factor. The legal use of transmitting devices that work outside of the ATG band-such as phones that operate over cellular networks-must be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. While the FCC is considering relaxing those rules, the FAA said that it would continue to ban cell phones on airplanes.
Citing safety concerns and passenger confusion, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA wants the FCC and the FAA to maintain the cell-phone ban.
Air France said last week that it will begin testing in-flight voice and data service in 2007.
