The FCC (www.fcc.gov) denied the request by Verizon Wireless to delay approval of Multipoint Distribution Service (MDS) and Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) licenses for two-way authority. Verizon filed an "emergency" petition last week that the Wireless Communications Association (WCA) (www.wcai.com) rebutted the next day. The FCC opinion said Verizon failed the legal standard for a temporary order and instead "speculates" on such developments as the possibility that the 2.5 GHz band might be reallocated for 3G services. WCA's response to Verizon:

Simply put, the Verizon Petition is an outrageous and unprecedented attempt to delay the deployment of broadband wireless services that will compete against Verizon's own DSL offerings and that will provide broadband service in areas where Verizon refuses to make the infrastructure investment necessary to provide DSL. The appropriate response to Verizon's missive can be found in the commitment Chairman Powell made to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet of the House Commission on Energy and Commerce: 'We will do everything we can to facilitate the timely and efficient deployment of broadband infrastructure. In doing so, we will endeavor to promote the growth of a wide variety of technologies that can compete with each other for the delivery of content and will strive not to favor - or uniquely burden - any particular one.'