FCC's 2011 budget proposal seeks to extend auction authority: Would develop 10-year plan to identify more spectrum

The Federal Communications Commission’s proposed budget of $352.5 million for fiscal year 2011 includes funding to help it implement a National Broadband Plan and a proposal to extend indefinitely the authority of the FCC to auction spectrum licenses.
The $352.5 million budget proposal calls for offsetting collection fees of $351.5 million, thus calling for $1 million of direct appropriations. The proposal is a 4.9% increase in funding from FY 2010.
The request to increase the agency’s auction authority (set to expire in Sept. 30, 2012) will enable the agency to make more spectrum available for auction during the next 10 years. “The plan will focus on making spectrum available for exclusive use by commercial broadband providers or technologies, or for dynamic, shared access by commercial and government users, on either a licensed or unlicensed basis.”
In addition, the president is proposing that new domestic satellite services that require spectrum be auctioned. “The Administration proposes to ensure that spectrum licenses for predominantly domestic satellite services are assigned efficiently and effectively through competitive bidding. Services such as Direct Broadcast Satellite and Satellite Digital Audio Radio Services were assigned by auction prior to a 2005 court decision that called this practice into question on technical grounds. The Administration proposes to authorize through legislation auctions of licenses for these and similar domestic satellite services. Auction receipts associated with this clarification are estimated at $200 million through 2020.”
In addition, the budget proposal requests the FCC be given the authority to set user fees as spectrum management tool, which could raise $4.8 billion through 2020.
The budget proposal also reiterates the agency’s plan to inventory spectrum, “including those that may be suitable for wireless broadband deployment. The FCC’s spectrum inventory activities will focus on providing general information about commercial and non-commercial use of spectrum bands, by users other than federal users, in the mobile range of 225 MHz to 3.7 GHz, as well as more detailed information about bands of particular relevance to
broadband.”
The agency also hopes to gain funds for better data collection and distribution, including data surrounding spectrum. “The public will be able to easily browse spectrum bands, search for spectrum licenses, produce maps, and download raw data for further analysis. The initiative contemplates continuing improvement and augmentation of the spectrum inventory over time with inclusion of more comprehensive data. The spectrum inventory is intended to assist in ongoing spectrum policy planning and decision-making, promote a robust secondary market in spectrum, and improve communications services in all areas of the United States, including rural and underserved areas as well as tribal lands.”
Along with implementing the broadband plan and managing spectrum use, the budget requests funding “overhaul the commission’s data systems and processes; continue to improve the FCC’s operations using improved technology; support the commission’s public safety and cyber-security role; strengthen the commission’s consumer information programs; and enhance the FCC’s role as a strong advocate for U.S. interests internationally.”