Problem

Commercialization of the airwaves

Other Names:
Privatization of the radio spectrum
Public auction of the radio frequencies
Incidence:

The USA, like almost all countries, licenses parts of the radio spectrum for domestic use, and it reserved chunks for television, satellites, cellular telephones, digital radio and the like. Since the 1950s, broadcasters have been able to trade licences, thus establishing that licences are valuable property. The Commerce Department had blocked the release of 200 megahertz of bandwidth, estimated to be worth $10 billion in 1991. It was planning to either give away rights to bandwidths, by assignment on the basis of deservingness or lottery, or to auction licences to the highest bidder.

Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and InfrastructureGOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Problem Type:
E: Emanations of other problems
Date of last update
08.02.2021 – 00:41 CET