FCC Chairman: iPhone Bandwidth Demands To Require Spectrum Changes

FCC chairman Julius Genachowski said that due to the high demand devices like the iPhone create for wireless spectrum, they will need to consider changing the way they allocate spectrum and auction it off. He described the problem as a "spectrum gap".

"We've been spending time on long-term spectrum policy because the data suggest we face a spectrum gap," he said. "The demands that are being created by the iPhone and other mobile broadband technologies threaten to outstrip the amount of spectrum available for commercial mobile, and it's important for the country that we get long-term planning right because it takes time to identify spectrum and put it on the market. We're looking at potential innovations in spectrum policy, such as secondary licensing for spectrum, and other, more creative ideas for unlicensed spectrum."

Genachowski also mentioned that he is an avid iPhone user, and even talked about his favorite app, Star Walk [App Store]

[via Business Week]