FCC Spectrum Auction Rules: The “Open Access” Commissioners

Below are excerpts from the respective statements from FCC Commissioners on the spectrum auction rules, which we covered earlier today here and here…I have extracted the relevant content/devices statements from them (fill PDFs from each are here on FCC homepage):

Chairman Kevin Martin:
I am committed to ensuring that the fruits of wireless innovation swiftly pass into the hand of consumers. Currently, American consumers are too often asked to throw away their old phones and buy new ones if they want to switch cell phone carriers. And when they buy that new phone, it is the wireless provider, not the consumer, who chooses what applications the consumer will be allowed to use on that new handset…A network that is more open to devices and applications can help foster innovation on the edges of the network…We will ensure these open platform rules are implemented, through significant enforcement mechanisms that place the burden on the licensee to demonstrate their compliance and that their policies are fair and reasonable.

Commissioner Michael Copps, approving in part, concurring in part:
Whether we