Updated: The FCC Chairman Michael Powell resigned today effective in March: I have completely disagreed with Powell's support of media consolidation and differed on his involvement in increasing the role of the state in acting as a nanny; I do believe that public airwaves require some oversight and regulation that's non-partisan and objective based on criteria instead of letters written to the FCC.
But this site's myopic focus will remember Powell's legacy more for his unstinting support for the opposite of consolidation in spectrum policy. Over the last four years, Powell by his public statements and, ostensibly, private actions has managed to open more spectrum, consider innovative secondary uses of licensed spectrum, and build a framework for cleaning up the messier and least used bands that are needed for 3G and beyond and WiMax and beyond.
In these areas, Powell's leadership encouraged technologies that aren't centrally owned or controlled and that may, in fact, dislodge primacy of wireline incumbents.
Powell will step down as a commissioner and as chair.