by Matthew Lasar May 18 2006 - 11:00pm Auctions
The Federal Communications Commission announced today that they will move the starting date for their Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) auction over a month forward, from June 29th to August 9th.
The FCC says they have changed the date to "to provide auction applicants with additional time for preparation and planning for the auction."
The auction will sell spectrum for so-called "Third Generation (3G)" technologies, including mobile broadband and wireless services.
The announcement provoked ire from the AWS's main critic on the Commission, Jonathan Adelstein, who argues that the Commission has yet to adequately address the misuse of the FCC's "Designated Entity" auction program (see today's story on Adelstein's criticisms and LL-FCC, May 12, 2006).
Critics charge that big wireless outfits create "false front" companies that take advantage of the FCC's 25% auction price discount for small businesses. They want DEs to demonstrate a level of financial independence from any big pocket company.
Today Adelstein again said that the FCC has yet to adequately address the problem, calling the delay "not the outcome I hoped for when I first advocated a single, simple, change to the DE rules more than nine months ago."
