I just filed the comments to support the Media Access Project and the
New America Foundation in fighting for more unlicensed spectrum in
the 900 MHz spectrum band. See Harold Feld's e-mail below. Please
add your support by filing comments at:
http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/upload_v2.cgi
In the box called Proceeding enter 06-49.
Your comments can be as simple as "I support the Media Access
Project, the New America Foundation and community wireless
organizations worldwide in advocating for more unlicensed wireless
spectrum."
Here are the comments that I filed:
As a member of the Board of Directors of NYCwireless, a community
wireless organization in New York, and a member of the FCC's Consumer
Advisory Committee, I would like to support the comments filed by the
Media Access Project and the New America Foundation with respect to
the 900 MHz band. Community wireless organizations and municipal
wireless projects greatly need access to more unlicensed spectrum in
the 900 MHz band due to interference, especially in large urban
areas. These wireless networks are key to improving economic
development and political participation as well as providing social
and cultural benefits to communities nationwide.
NYCwireless (http://www.nycwireless.net) is a non-profit organization
that advocates and enables the growth of free, public wireless
Internet access in New York City and surrounding areas. NYCwireless,
founded in 2001, is an all-volunteer organization with many active
members in the New York metropolitan area, across the United States
of America, and around the world. In partnership with parks
organizations, business improvement districts and local non-profit
organizations, NYCwireless has built free, public wireless hotspots
at Bryant Park, Stuyvesant Cove Park, Union Square Park, City Hall
Park, Bowling Green Park, Wall Street Park, the South Street Seaport,
the World Financial Center Winter Garden, 60 Wall Street Atrium,
Stone Street, Vietnam Veterans Plaza, and Tompkins Square Park. In
addition, NYCwireless has worked with Community Access to build free
wireless networks in three affordable housing residences.
Best,
Laura
Begin forwarded message:
Message: 1
Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 13:39:03 -0400
From: Harold Feld <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
I'd like to ask for the support of everyone on this list in trying to
defend unlicensed access in the 900 MHz spectrum band, and help push
to expand availability.
Back in 1999, the FCC auctioned licenses for the Location and
Monitoring Service (LMS). The licenses share the 904.00-928.00 MHz
band with unlicensed users, subject to power limitations and a "safe
harbor" to protect unlicensed users. These limits make the service
fairly worthless, as shown in the auction price ($4.5 million for all
licenses combined).
The LMS licensees, rather than actually build the service, have sat
on the spectrum and whined at the FCC to give them increased spectrum
rights at the expense of the unlicensed users. Sadly, because there
are no defenders of unlicensed spectrum at the FCc anymore, the FCC
has now put such a proposal out for comment. While paying lip
service to the concept of protecting the status quo on 900 MHZ
unlicensed, the order makes clear that it will not worry too much if
improving life for the licensed services harms the unlicensed users.
Yesterday, MAP and New America Foundation filed comments arguing that
if the FCC wants to do something to improve the 900 MHz band, it
should focus on improving the ability to use unlicensed spectrum in
the band rather than improve life for speculators who picked up
bargain-basement licenses and now want to get free benefits from the
Commission. You can read the comments here:
http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?
native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6518357368
I'd like to ask everyone who can to take a minute and file comments
with the FCC opposing the proposed rules and supporting our
comments. This will only take five minutes and can potentially make
a huge difference. Given the current leadership of the FCC, which I
would describe as indifferent to unlicensed users, it will require a
large number of comments to persuade the FCC that their proposal will
have a major impact on people's lives.
To file, simply click on this link:
http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/upload_v2.cgi
In the box called Proceeding (box 1) enter 06-49.
Fill out the rest of the form. You can either type a brief comment
into the window or attach a comment using the template provided.
You do not need to be a lawyer, or even a US citizen.
Harold
--
NYCwireless - http://www.nycwireless.net/
Un/Subscribe: http://lists.nycwireless.net/mailman/listinfo/nycwireless/
Archives: http://lists.nycwireless.net/pipermail/nycwireless/
