With the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) already having limits in place, since long, for the extent of airwaves a single company can control, small and medium-size telecom firms are now pushing the government to consider new limits in airwaves.

In the wake of the competition that the small telecom companies face from bigwigs like AT&T and Verizon, the government is apparently planning to set new regulations which will govern the amount of airwaves - or spectrum - which can be held by one carrier.

Since the FCC has already, for several years now, limited companies to a maximum of one-third of the available airwaves in a particular area, the agency will now commence the rule-making process, on Friday, to consider whether it was pertinent for new technologies to have the limits redrawn, or recalibrate d or even removed.

With the FCC staff having circulated its proposals to the five-member commission for the forthcoming Friday meeting, the decision of the FCC will apparently be finalized in about a year's time; and will have an extensive impact on the consumers as well as companies.

Noting that the FCC's review of spectrum holding policies will essentially pave the way for "a healthy and competitive wireless marketplace with clear and predictable rules of the road," the agency's spokeswoman Tammy Sun said that the rules will ensure that "providers can serve the needs of the growing number of mobile Internet consumers."