Last Sunday, Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski wrote an op-ed piece describing America’s standing in spectrum and broadband deployment, its continued progress, and what the country needs to do to promote the markets for broadband and apps. Below are comments I made in response to the Chairman’s piece:

“I’m happy to see Chairman Genachowski acknowledge the need for more broadband deployment. There is an urgency when it comes to spectrum. The emerging regulatory speed bump to getting more spectrum into the hands of wireless carriers is the hoarding of spectrum by government agencies. The FCC and the NTIA should work diligently on identifying and freeing up spectrum that is not being used for national defense or otherwise laying fallow.

In addition, the FCC should encourage state and local governments to remove unnecessary barriers to entry to broadband markets. The FCC should also continue a light touch regulatory regime for broadband. By keeping regulatory costs low, carriers can provide new and innovative service packages that will allow more Americans access to broadband.”