If any doubt remains that the Obama administration is serious about a national wireless broadband network--and the need for spectrum to feed said network--it should be dispelled by a summit, "Spectrum Auctions: Unlocking the Innovative Potential and Wireless Broadband," that the White House is hosting.
Among the key topics of the summit: explaining the "economic benefits" of auctioning "under-utilized" spectrum--some might call that broadcast spectrum--to expand wireless coverage and bring in revenue for the government.
Participants include FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, Austan Goolsbee, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, Jason Furman, deputy director of the National Economic Council, and experts from Stanford, Duke, Columbia and, believe it or not, Google. Missing from the list: any sort of broadcaster or cable operator.
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