FCC considers paying broadcasters for spectrum

Money talks, we all know that. And the Federal Communications Commission may soon find out if it can snag airwaves to ease the online traffic jam growing with the use of more and more high-speed mobile devices, such as smartphones.

"One of the options we are considering is compensating incumbent users to vacate, perhaps by receiving a share of the proceeds, subject to congressional approval," an FCC official tells BusinessWeek. "We know there's a spectrum crunch; we are just trying to come up with options."

The plan isn't cheap. It would free up an estimated $48 billion in spectrum and require paying broadcasters roughly $6 billion, according to Coleman Bazelon, a Washington-based analyst at The Brattle Group. "Not doing anything is a costly option," Bazelon told the FCC.

For more on the FCC plan:
- see this BusinessWeek article

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