FCC's Spectrum Task Force Had Better Be Better Than the X-Men

The Federal Communications Commission created a task force to help it bring 500 MHz of spectrum to market over the next 10 years as dictated by the National Broadband Plan. But since most of the hoped-for spectrum is controversial to one group or another, the folks behind this task force had better have some super-human powers of persuasion, or at least an adamantine skeleton that will hold up against powerful lobbying. Julius Knapp, the group's co-chair and head of the Office of Engineering Technology,said that its primary goal is to deal with issues that will arise across multiple FCC agencies as the spectrum portions of the National Broadband Plan are implemented. But Knapp, an electrical engineer by training, will also be looking ahead to long-term spectrum needs including 1) broadcast spectrum, 2) satellite spectrum, 3) TV whitespaces, 4) unlicensed spectrum.