Kerry, Snowe urge FCC to hurry up on freeing spectrum for wireless

In its schedule for implementing the plan, the FCC has promised to complete the white spaces proceeding during the third quarter of this year. It still has to complete the final rules about which devices can use the spectrum, as well as resolve challenges to rules and set up a database to manage device issues.

The FCC blames the complexity of making device rules for its failure to finish the proceeding.

Still, in the National Broadband Plan, the agency touts the white spaces proposal, pointing out how similar policies have provided broadband service to a school in rural Virginia and to a demonstration wireless broadband network in Wilmington, N.C.