Fun fact about the 2.5Ghz spectrum Sprint and Clearwire hotly desire for their WiMax dreams: two-thirds of it is classified "EBS," meaning it can't be owned directly by businesses, so it's in the hands of schools and non-profits. To make use of the EBS spectrum, which they need to make good on the coverage maps they're plotting, Sprint has to lease a license from a current holder, most of whom have been sitting on it, doing a fat lot of nothing. Now that Sprint's knocking on their doors with checks, they've realized just what they're sitting on.
Consequently, the FCC's been inundated with renewal requests as license holders look to cash in on WiMax trailblazing. Naturally, Sprint's not too happy to be set up for a rolling extortion party, so they're pushing the FCC to swat down the gold rushers, calling their requests an attempt to "hijack...valuable spectrum." Harsh. Either way, the path to a WiMax wonderland looks like it's going to be a little bumpier than anticipated. [MarketWatch via /.]