The failure of the D-Block to pass the reserve price was front-and-centre at a House telecom subcommittee hearing, with the lawmakers and FCC Chairman Kevin Martin keen to keep the public-private partnership approach to take into account first responders’ interoperability and broadband requirements. “Suggestions include lowering the $1.3 billion reserve price for the license, modifying the penalty associated with network-sharing agreement negotiations between the D-Block winner and the public-safety broadband licensee, clarifying upfront the obligations and expectations of the private sector partner and perhaps licensing the D Block on a regional basis with an interoperability requirement” reports RCRNews. Mind you, the politicians aren’t too happy with the rest of the auction either, with a Republican claiming it could have raised a lot more money and some Democrats poetically explaining that it failed to increase competition in the sector.

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