Wi-Fi

The Feasibility of Unlicensed Broadband Devices to Operate on TV Band 'White Space' Without Causing Harmful Interference

Wireless Future — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 05:55:00 -0400

In May 2004, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to allow a new generation of wireless devices to use vacant TV frequencies (so-called “white spaces”) on an unlicensed basis and thereby promote more effective use of the public airwaves. In October 2006, under bipartisan pressure from Congress, the FCC adopted a First Order and Further NPRM that approved unlicensed use of vacant TV channels for “fixed” broadband deployments, but called for further study on the question of whether “personal” and “portable” low-power devices (such as laptops and iPhone-type PDAs) could also use… more

Open Tech and the Wireless Future

Wireless Future — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:28:00 -0400

Open Access for the 700 MHz Auction

Wireless Future — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 08:37:00 -0400

Overview

In this report, I analyze the competitive effects of recent proposals to reserve a small portion of the upcoming 700 MHz band auction for wholesale, open-access use.[i] Using this license, a wholesale open-access licensee would build out the wireless network, own and operate the cell sites, towers, and radio equipment, and provide transport to the Internet backbone. For the purposes of this report, “open access” means that there would be “no locking and no blocking” by the network operator. That is, there would be no prohibitions against devices that may be connected to the network so long… more

America's $480 Billion Spectrum Giveaway

Communications — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 02:59:00 -0400

A New America Event
07/17/2007 - 12:30pm

Spectrum has become one of the most valuable natural resources of the Information Age. Unlike other comparably valuable natural resources such as land and oil, it is owned by the public and allocated exclusively by the federal government. Also, unlike those resources, it is invisible both literally and figuratively: the general public does not understand—and consequently does not care about—its allocation. This combination of huge amounts of money at stake and public ignorance creates the classic conditions for special interest politics.

J.H. Snider, Research Director of the New America Foundation's Wireless Future Program, describes the causes and consequences of this special interest politics in his new report, The Art of Spectrum Lobbying: America's $480 Billion Spectrum Giveaway, How it Happened, and How to Prevent it from Recurring. At this brownbag lunch forum, Dr. Snider will present the findings of his study. This will be followed by a discussion by a distinguished panel of experts on natural resources, good government, and spectrum policy. The report is timely, as the FCC is currently considering auction reform in the 700 MHz band and numerous “minor” modifications worth tens of billions of dollars in the broadcast and satellite bands.

700 MHz Band Auction Comments: Auction Rules

Wireless Future — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 17:31:00 -0400

Response to MSTV on TV White Spaces Interference

Wireless Future — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 22:09:00 -0400

J.H. Snider on Microsoft's Wireless Prototype in Dow Jones Marketwatch

Communications — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 14:51:00 -0500

New America in the News:

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- When Microsoft Corp. delivers a mysterious prototype for government testing this coming week, it will mark a crucial juncture for a high-stakes bid to change the way consumers get their Internet access.

That bid has cast Microsoft and a group of powerful allies from Silicon Valley in the relatively unfamiliar role of Washington policy players.

Microsoft's (MSFT) prototype, delivered on behalf of the group, is a wireless device that could provide the public with free and more widespread access to the Web instead of relying on networks owned by big telecom and cable firms.

That breakthrough, tapping into an unused part of the nation's airwaves, is politically charged because it threatens to shift the Internet-access business away from telecom and cable companies that are historically well-connected in Washington, throwing open the field to a brand new batch of competitors.

It all hinges on how well the prototype performs in tests by the Federal Communications Commission. Microsoft and allies must prove that such devices, which can connect users via unlicensed portions of the nation's wireless spectrum known as white spaces, won't interfere with airwaves that major license holders acquired for large sums. While the FCC is obligated to protect license holders from such interference, several "white spaces" bills introduced in Congress have placed added pressure on the commission to wrap up the tests in a hurry.

But along the way, a host of big guns in the telecom industry hope Microsoft and its white-space cohorts will fail. The group includes Google Inc. (GOOG), Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ), Dell Inc. (DELL) and Intel Corp. (INTC).

"The telephone companies are terrified they'll lose 40% of their wireless minutes, because you'll be able to connect from work or home and bypass their wireless networks," said J.H. Snider, research director of the wireless future program at the New America Foundation, a Washington-based policy institute that has long advocated to allow use of white spaces...

For the complete article, please visit the Dow Jones Marketwatch website.

Michael Calabrese, J.H. Snider on Community Wireless Networks in Communications Daily

Communications — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 04:37:00 -0500

New America in the News:

The U.S. needs a wireless broadband policy as community networks "pop up everywhere," said Sascha Meinrath, exec. dir.-Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless. Speaking at the Freedom to Connect conference near D.C., he and others said before the feds can act, they need better information...

The U.S. needs to "explicitly pursue federal policy" to stop telcos from getting states to preempt local govts. from doing it, said Michael Calabrese, Dir.-New America Foundation Wireless Future Program. Lack of broad wireless broadband adoption isn't the only problem, he said: "It's also about quality, connection speeds, cost and mobility and ubiquity." Verizon FIOS is "at least bringing some speed" but AT&T's goal of providing up to 6 Mbps to 40% of its service territory in 5 years" is "pathetic," he said. Opening TV white spaces will free 80-200 MHz of spectrum but "we need to open up other white spaces" too, he said.

Calabrese's New America Foundation colleague Jim Snider agreed: "I don't think there's been enough attention paid to spectrum inputs."

Wi-Fi

The Feasibility of Unlicensed Broadband Devices to Operate on TV Band 'White Space' Without Causing Harmful Interference

Open Tech and the Wireless Future

Open Access for the 700 MHz Auction

America's $480 Billion Spectrum Giveaway

700 MHz Band Auction Comments: Auction Rules

Response to MSTV on TV White Spaces Interference

J.H. Snider on Microsoft's Wireless Prototype in Dow Jones Marketwatch

Michael Calabrese, J.H. Snider on Community Wireless Networks in Communications Daily

Technical Reply Comments to FCC on TV White Spaces NPRM

Economic/Legal Reply Comments to FCC on TV White Spaces NPRM