top trade group has asked the Federal Communications Commission to dramatically cut the minimal bidding price for its "D Block" license—that big swath of 700MHz public safety spectrum that the agency failed to sell off in March. Or maybe the Commission should just drop it altogether, recommends the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). "The economic crisis of the past few weeks is expected to influence the financial markets for months to come," TIA notes in a recent FCC filing, "and the ability of potential bidders to raise money in a tight credit market could continue to be affected in the time frame proposed for this auction." The group urges the FCC to at least trim the "reserve price" way down from its current proposed level of $750 million.
