FCC votes to deny T-Mobile airwaves request

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has denied a request by T-Mobile related to an upcoming wireless spectrum auction.

{mosads}T-Mobile and others had asked the agency to expand the amount of spectrum, the airwaves that carry wireless signals, set aside for smaller providers from a maximum of 30 MHz to 40 MHz, arguing that it would bolster competition. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler later proposed that the reserve stay at the 30 MHz level.

The commission’s vote means that the body’s five members will no longer consider the T-Mobile request at their open meeting on Thursday. It was originally on the agenda for the July meeting but was postponed when Wheeler delayed the vote on a related item.

The vote was expected. Bloomberg reported two weeks ago that Wheeler’s recommendation had the support of a majority of commissioners. Details on how each commissioner ultimately voted were not immediately available.

Wheeler’s decision is a blow to T-Mobile, which had mounted a visible campaign to rally support for expanding the reserve. CEO John Legere appealed directly to customers in a video in which he said that the smaller reserve would enable AT&T and Verizon, the two biggest players in wireless, to use the auction to shore up their dominant positions.

“Chairman Wheeler said competition is the best tool for driving consumer benefits – and he is right,” said Andy Levin, T-Mobile’s senior vice president for government affairs, in a statement. “We are pleased the 30 MHz reserve was established in the first place. And we are proud of the strong support we got for expanding the reserve from members of Congress, state government officials, dozens of consumer groups and thousands of consumers who advocated on the side of more competition in the wireless market.”

The commission will, however, still consider several items either directly or indirectly related to the spectrum auction on Thursday. For the first time in history, the FCC will buy spectrum from television stations and resell it in an auction to wireless providers.

Spectrum has become a valuable resource as the use of smartphones has grown. A spectrum auction that closed earlier this year brought in roughly $45 billion.

Lawmakers have also taken an interest in the issue, with many urging the commission to take steps to free up more spectrum for commercial use.

— This story was updated at 12:47 p.m.