Thanks for posting this jon. I agree with MAP and NAF. The FCC is justifying re-monopolization of last mile on the basis of a fiction they call "intermodal competition". Basically this means cable/telco duopoly. The presume to add wireless as a third mode as if wifi can entirely replace all land line connections. While it can in *some* rural locations, we all know that in big cities line of sight issues are, shall we say, kinda non-trivial.
It is critical that the success of free wifi spectrum, and the need for more spectrum be given back for public use, is not hijacked by the telco monopolists and their cronies.
---------------------> Joe
At 4:28 PM -0500 11/14/03, jon baer wrote:
[ Permanent archived item: <http://wifinetnews.com/archives/002524.html> ]
[1] The New America Foundation, Media Access Project, and some vendors say that the FCC hasn't gone far enough by adding more spectrum to the unlicensed band around 5 GHz: They complain that because the spectrum is high on the band and because of the power constraints set by the FCC, rural WISPs still can't adequately serve customers. They are asking for more unlicensed spectrum in the lower bands where signals can better penetrate interference like trees and travel farther.
Rural operators and vendors who try to serve them have long discussed the fact that while the existing power limitations may be useful in cities they unduly strap the potential of wireless in rural communities. Dave Hughes, who has done tons of research on the use of wireless in remote areas, has often suggested that the FCC might set different rules in rural areas. That's a good idea. But I fear that the needs of the rural communities may not mean enough to the FCC to encourage the commission to consider accommodating them.
URLs referenced: [1] <http://www.newamerica.net/Download_Docs/pdfs/Doc_File_196_1.pdf>
FCC SPECTRUM ACTION MAY HELP WI-FI, BUT IT WON'T HELP LASTMILE
COMPETITION OR RURAL BROADBAND
___________________
MORE LOW-FREQUENCY SPECTRUM NEEDED FOR REAL LAST-MILE COMPETITION
AND RURAL BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT.
WASHINGTON, DC - Media Access Project (MAP) and the New America Foundation (NAF) praised the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today for opening government spectrum above 5 GHz to limited
unlicensed access, shared with the military, but warned that today's action will not solve the problems plaguing
unlicensed access as a "last mile" or rural broadband solution.
"This works great for short range, low power Wi-Fi connections that don't need to go through walls or trees. It
does nothing to help wireless Internet service providers (WISPs) and community networks offer broadband in
rural and low-income areas," said Harold Feld, Associate Director, Media Access Project.
"The FCC needs to think beyond hot spots at Starbucks if it wants to see unlicensed spectrum emerge as a
genuine facilities-based competitor," said J.H. Snider, Senior Research Fellow at the New America Foundation.
"If the government wants to facilitate affordable wireless broadband, it will need to expand unlicensed access to
lower frequency bands, ideally in the grossly underutilized broadcast bands."
Patrick Leary, of equipment manufacturer Alvarion agreed, "As the rules now stand, it will seriously limit us or
others to make use of this band to connect more homes and business with unlicensed wireless broadband over the
last mile."
At an FCC conference on November 4, many WISP operators complained that they could not become effective
competitors to DSL and cable broadband without greater access to lower frequency bandwidths (below 5 GHz)
and higher power levels than currently allowed.
Said Snider: "Signals above 5 GHz, especially with these power limits, can't penetrate through objects like leaves
or walls and can't travel far enough without degrading. This is like opening real estate for development in Siberia
and claiming it's the same as opening up beach front property in California."
The FCC allows the greatest flexibility and power levels for unlicensed access in the 2.4 GHz band. With the
explosion of unlicensed devices, the 2.4 GHz band has become congested, creating interference even for WISPs
in rural areas and limiting the potential for higher-bandwidth applications.
Joined by a coalition of consumer groups, WISPs, and groups using unlicensed spectrum for community
networking, New America and MAP recently asked the FCC to set aside 90 MHz of spectrum from 2.5-2.59 GHz
for exclusive unlicensed use. As a less preferable alternative, the groups suggested that, at the very least, that the
FCC allow unlicensed devices to share 2.5-2.69 GHz on a secondary basis.
"Chairman Powell says WISPs are the future," said Feld. "But will the FCC give them room to grow, or just pat
itself on the back for what they've done so far? If the FCC stops here, unlicensed access will have trouble
growing into more than just a convenient way to surf the web from your easy chair."
- jon
pgp key: http://www.jonbaer.net/jonbaer.asc fingerprint: F438 A47E C45E 8B27 F68C 1F9B 41DB DB8B 9A0C AF47
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