By a unanimous vote, the commission approved a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comments from interested parties on a proposal to move ahead with the auctions, which supporters say are necessary to furnish wireless operators with the capacity they need to keep up with the surging volume of data passing over their networks.

The FCC is proposing to hold so-called incentive auctions, whereby TV broadcasters will be invited to hand over their spectrum licenses, receiving a portion of the proceeds from the resale at auction.

"This is a big deal," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said at the commission's monthly meeting. "Today the U.S. becomes the first nation in the world to launch incentive auctions, a new paradigm in spectrum policy that uses market forces to repurpose beachfront spectrum for licensed and unlicensed wireless broadband. The world is watching."

The FCC first proposed the idea for incentive auctions in its 2010 national broadband plan, of which spectrum reform to boost mobile broadband was a cornerstone. Earlier this year, with the passage of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, Congress granted the agency the authority it needed to implement the auction process.

By the timetable outlined in Friday's order, the FCC is hoping to finalize the rules for the auctions next year, with the actual proceedings to take place in 2014.