Changing Channels: Voluntary Reallocation of UHF Television Spectrum

摘要

Through a case study, the paper provides evidence that spectrum is notefficiently allocated under the current administrative approach to spectrum management. It found that the voluntary reallocation of a single ultra high frequency (UHF) television channel in Los Angeles to create a third cellular telephone system would likely increase social welfare by over one billion dollars. The paper proposes that one such voluntary reallocation be permitted in each television market, subject to a streamlined benefit-cost test, and suggests that such a voluntary reallocation approach could be applied usefully in other areas of the spectrum.