Kristian Stout on the FCC’s Enhanced Competition Incentive Program

ICLE Director of Innovation Policy Kristian Stout was quoted by Communications Daily in a story about the Federal Communications Commission’s Enhanced Competition Incentive Program. You can read the full piece here.

Kristian Stout, director-innovation policy at the International Center for Law & Economics, said it’s probably too early to tell if ECIP will have success, and he’s not hearing much so far. Success will depend on how attractive regulatory incentives and requirements are, as well as “market conditions, the interest and financial capability of smaller entities to acquire spectrum, the level of awareness and outreach about the program and the FCC’s monitoring and adaptability to feedback,” Stout wrote in an email.

The success of ECIP “hinges on whether the incentives provided can sufficiently outweigh the costs and competitive risks for larger carriers, alongside market readiness for spectrum redistribution due to demands for wireless services or technological advancements like 5G,” Stout added.