Industry heavyweights duke it out over future of wireless broadband

Representatives from AT&T, Google, Frontline Wireless offer differing views on open access networks

In a friendly and spirited debate yesterday, representatives from Google, AT&T and other companies sparred over the future of open access networks and consumer choice.

The debate, which was sponsored by the Massachusetts Network Communications Council, focused mainly on the opportunities that the FCC’s upcoming auction of spectrum on the 700MHz band will present wireless broadband providers. The debate panel -- which included representatives from Google, AT&T, Microsoft, Frontline Wireless and Clearwire -- generally agreed that the FCC did a good job of bridging a compromise between some telecom carriers, which FCC did a good job of bridging a compromise, and consumer groups that had pushed for open access rules.

“The debate centered around the advocacy by some that the wireless industry, if they wanted to bid on any of the spectrum, had to essentially alter their business models,” said James Cicconi, the senior vice president of AT&T, referring to the demands by Google, Frontline and others that the FCC slap open access rules on all the spectrum up for auction.

“Most of us in the industry didn’t feel this model was broken, so why should the government come in and impose a new business model?”

To continue reading, register here to become an Insider. You'll get free access to premium content from CIO, Computerworld, CSO, InfoWorld, and Network World. See more Insider content or sign in.

In a friendly and spirited debate yesterday, representatives from Google, AT&T and other companies sparred over the future of open access networks and consumer choice.

The debate, which was sponsored by the Massachusetts Network Communications Council, focused mainly on the opportunities that the FCC’s upcoming auction of spectrum on the 700MHz band will present wireless broadband providers. The debate panel -- which included representatives from Google, AT&T, Microsoft, Frontline Wireless and Clearwire -- generally agreed that the FCC did a good job of bridging a compromise between some telecom carriers, which FCC did a good job of bridging a compromise, and consumer groups that had pushed for open access rules.

“The debate centered around the advocacy by some that the wireless industry, if they wanted to bid on any of the spectrum, had to essentially alter their business models,” said James Cicconi, the senior vice president of AT&T, referring to the demands by Google, Frontline and others that the FCC slap open access rules on all the spectrum up for auction.

“Most of us in the industry didn’t feel this model was broken, so why should the government come in and impose a new business model?”

In the end, Cicconi said the FCC made a fair compromise by putting conditions on the so-called “C Block” of spectrum that would prevent its licensee from blocking devices or content produced by competitors. This way, said Cicconi, bidders who wanted to try an open access model would have a spectrum to work with, while other carriers could bid on the rest of the spectrum without altering their traditional business models.