Communications Daily

New America Foundation responds to concerns about white space technology interfering with adjacent channels that are used by broadcasters:

Using adjacent channel leakage ratio and similar measures to deal with any interference in adjacent channels will keep white spaces devices from causing harmful interference to TV broadcasts, a coalition led by the New America Foundation told the FCC. The complexity of wideband data waveforms across the CMRS, PCS and now the Advanced Wireless Services bands led to "sophisticated tools," not… more

Ten public interest groups told the FCC that M2Z's proposal for a nationwide, free wireless broadband network at 2.1 GHz is attractive but has too many failings to support. Instead, the groups urged the agency to examine making the spectrum available for unlicensed use or through a license but with strict conditions imposing open access requirements. Google made similar arguments in a separate filing with the agency. The comments added to a flurry of activity at the FCC on an… more

Spectrum value is lost when incumbents get the FCC to modify their licenses at no charge, said J.H. Snider, research director of New America Foundation's Wireless Future Program. To protect spectrum value, the FCC should charge for license revisions, Snider, author of a paper on spectrum "giveaway," told a Tuesday panel. Another participant estimated that the U.S. loses out on $10 billion yearly in potential fees. Changing the parameters of a license changes the value of… more

A broad group of 29 executives at high-tech companies and public interest groups sent all members of Congress a letter asking for their support in opening broadcast "white spaces" for use in offering wireless broadband. Signers included companies like Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Intel, and public interest groups from the New America Foundation to the Consumer Federation of America. Supporters said they wanted to make clear to Congress before their upcoming recess the extent of support for opening white spaces. more

Consumer groups endorsed CEA's 2-way plug-and-play proposal over cable's, asking FCC Chmn. Martin to open a rulemaking to solicit comments on the proposal, as he's expected to do (CD June 11 p1). The letter, sent by Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Free Press, Knowledge Ecology International, Media Access Project, New America Foundation, Public Knowledge and U.S. Public Interest Research Group, is an early salvo in an emerging battle over who controls how cable users access programming:… more

Net neutrality advocates are pressing the FCC to adopt "openness" principles in rules for the 700 MHz auction, in addition to urging that the agency require auction winners to adopt net neutrality principles. Net neutrality supporters sent the FCC nearly 250,000 letters on open access Mon., following up previous filings urging buildout requirements and limits on incumbents' participation in the auction. The campaign urges the FCC to require all licensees to carry Internet and voice traffic without degradation and allow… more

Potential bidders and public interest groups urged the FCC Fri. to keep bidders' identities anonymous in the upcoming 700 MHz auction. By maintaining anonymity, bidders wouldn't be able to signal or use blocking techniques to exclude new entrants from participating in the auction, panelists at a New America Foundation lunch said. The process would help yield a better return to the public for auction of the public licenses."Anonymous bidding is the best route," said Greg Rose, economist with… more

Chmn. Martin plans a vote on rules for the 700 MHz auction at the April 25 agenda meeting -- though he didn't circulate an order Wed. giving colleagues the usual 3 weeks to study the item, sources said Thurs. Martin asked other FCC members to waive this rule. He's expected to circulate an item as early as today (Fri.)...

Commissioners and staff have been meeting this week with representatives of parties interested in the 700 MHz auction. Commissioners hope to… more

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… more

Cyren Call CEO Morgan O'Brien's spectrum proposal largely could solve America's broadband access problems and deliver a fully interoperable safety network, he said. On a Hill panel at the New America Foundation, O'Brien said Fri. he'd have more details of the proposal Mon. in a filing with the FCC. It will answer questions about how the company can succeed financially serving public and private needs, he said.O'Brien's plan has stirred a "considerable amount of controversy," because… more