There is a need to find 500 MHz of spectrum for a national broadband plan, but citing a "spectrum crisis" as the way to emphasize that need isn't helping anyone, FCC Commissioner Meredith Baker said.
Baker prefers the term "spectrum exhaustion" and, contrary to the raging debate between broadcasters who have spectrum and feel threatened that the FCC is going to snatch it away and wireless providers who claim to need spectrum and fear that broadcasters are holding on too tightly, there are reasonable ways to come up with what's needed, Baker said.
"Unquestionably we need more spectrum but I want us to focus on getting the right spectrum, the right way and not necessarily the easiest way," Baker said. "I reject the idea that we have to choose between broadcasting and broadband."
After all, there's also cable, which owns spectrum and isn't using it ... yet.
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