------ Forwarded Message > From: Michael Calabrese <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2006 11:51:53 -0500 > Conversation: Legislation to Open Unused TV Channels for Wireless Broadband > Introduced - New Papers on Why This Is Good for Rural Areas, the Economy and > Public Safety > Subject: Legislation to Open Unused TV Channels for Wireless Broadband > Introduced - New Papers on Why This Is Good for Rural Areas, the Economy and > Public Safety > > New Legislation Would Open Unused TV Channels for Wireless Broadband > New America Policy Papers Show Why It¹s Good for Rural Areas, the Economy and > Public Safety > > Last Friday, Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Stevens (R-AK) introduced > legislation <http://stevens.senate.gov/pr_detailed.cfm?prid=333> directing the > FCC to open unused TV channels in each local marketalso known as ³white > spaces²for unlicensed wireless broadband access. A bipartisan foursome of > Commerce Committee membersSenators George Allen (R-VA), John Sununu (R-NH), > John Kerry (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA)introduced similar legislation > <http://allen.senate.gov/?c=record&t=3&Record_ID=5531> . > > These tremendously valuableand presently dormantTV band frequencies > represent the much-needed rocket fuel that rural and other under-served areas > need for affordable broadband deployment. Vacant TV channels are perfectly > suited for WiFi and other unlicensed wireless Internet technologies. > Low-frequency TV band spectrum propagates farther and penetrates physical > obstacles better than the crowded ³junk band² currently used for WiFi > networking. Access to TV spectrum will allow commercial ISPs, municipalities > and non-profit community efforts to deploy wide-area wireless broadband > networks quickly and at a low cost. > > In 2004, the FCC initiated a rulemaking (Docket 04-186) to open up these white > spaces to wireless broadband devices, subject to strict rules to avoid > interference with TV reception. The proceeding has stalled since the departure > of Chairman Michael Powell. The newly introduced legislation would break this > regulatory impasse. > > Here are New America¹s most recent policy papers regarding the importance of > opening up low-frequency spectrum in the TV band for unlicensed use: > > 1. Reclaiming the Vast Wasteland: The Economic Case > <http://www.newamerica.net/Download_Docs/pdfs/Doc_File_2898_1.pdf> This > Issue Brief, by New America's J.H. Snider, describes the tremendous economic > benefits of unlicensed spectrum and how economic and technological forces are > leading the world in a natural shift from high-power, licensed wireless > networks to wide-area networks of low-frequency, low-power unlicensed devices. > > 2. Myth vs. Fact: Rhetoric and Reality of Progress in Allocating More > Spectrum for Unlicensed Use > <http://www.newamerica.net/Download_Docs/pdfs/Doc_File_2897_1.pdf> This > Fact Sheet demonstrates just how little high-quality low-frequency spectrum is > dedicated for unlicensed use, compared to the amount devoted to exclusive use > by licensed wireless service providers. > > 3. Wireless Public Safety Data Networks Operating on Unlicensed Airwaves > <http://www.newamerica.net/Download_Docs/pdfs/Doc_File_2633_1.pdf> This > updated Policy Backgrounder describes how local governmentsin Texas, Kansas, > California and other statesare using unlicensed wireless broadband networks > to improve public safety across the country. > > For additional recent publications on this issueand related issuesplease > visit our website at www.spectrumpolicy.org <http://www.spectrumpolicy.org/> . > > ---------- > ? <http://news.com.com/2001-1_3-0.html?tag=prntfr> http://www.news.com/ > <http://www.news.com/2001-1_3-0.html?tag=prntfr> > Bills would boost unlicensed Wi-Fi > By Anne Broache > http://news.com.com/Bills+would+boost+unlicensed+Wi-Fi/2100-7351_3-6041585.htm > l > > Story last modified Tue Feb 21 12:18:06 PST 2006 > Wireless Internet service providers would be allowed to operate freely on new > chunks of unused TV spectrum, according to two new bills in the U.S. Senate. > A pair of similar measures introduced Friday would give wireless device > manufacturers the green light to develop products for unlicensed use on the > broadband airwaves' "white spaces"--that is, empty, unused channels in the > broadcast TV bands. > > Companies interested in deploying Wi-Fi networks covet the bands of spectrum > on which broadcast television currently resides because of its inherent > scientific properties. Signals at that frequency travel straighter and > farther. Consumer advocates say using the spectrum would enable cheaper and > easier set-up--and thus more widespread access for rural and low-income areas. > > That's one of the major reasons high-tech companies also have been clamoring > for bumping broadcasters off the analog spectrum > <http://news.com.com/2061-10805_3-5895464.html?tag=nl> entirely. Congress has > already mandated that movement--and the nation's transition to all-digital TV > broadcasts--must happen by February 2009 > <http://news.com.com/Early+2009+set+for+end+of+analog+TV/2100-1028_3-6034105.h > tml?tag=nl> . > > The New America Foundation, an independent think tank that supports freeing up > the white space for wireless deployment, estimates that 40 percent to 80 > percent of the TV spectrum lies vacant in rural areas and that major > metropolises host a fair share of empty spectrum as well. > > That organization joined consumer advocates in applauding the bills' > introduction. "Opening the white spaces for new and innovative technologies is > an essential step toward bridging the digital divide, bringing 21st century > telecommunications to rural areas and providing affordable access to all > Americans," advocacy groups Consumers Union and Free Press wrote in a letter > <http://dw.com.com/redir?destUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.consumersunion.org%2Fpub%2Fc > ore_telecom_and_utilities%2F003177.html&siteId=3&oId=/Early+2009+set+f > or+end+of+analog+TV/2100-1028_3-6034105.html&ontId=1035&lop=nl.ex> to > the bills' sponsors. > > The Federal Communications Commission has already been considering > <http://news.com.com/Wireless+broadband+may+get+more+spectrum/2100-1034_3-5192 > 390.html?tag=nl> making rules (click here for PDF > <http://dw.com.com/redir?destUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fhraunfoss.fcc.gov%2Fedocs_public > %2Fattachmatch%2FFCC-04-113A1.pdf&siteId=3&oId=/Wireless+broadband+may > +get+more+spectrum/2100-1034_3-5192390.html&ontId=1035&lop=nl.ex> ) to > allow unlicensed use of the white space since 2004. But that proceeding has > stalled, in part because of concerns expressed by commissioners over potential > interference from new devices operating on the spectrum. > > "We must be able and ready to conduct independent harmful-interference tests, > and to act decisively when harmful interference has occurred," Commissioner > Michael Copps > <http://news.com.com/Why+our+broadband+policys+still+a+mess/2008-1034_3-559092 > 9.html?tag=nl> said in a statement at the time. Other commissioners seemed > inclined simply to wait until the digital-television transition is complete. > > The politically powerful National Association of Broadcasters has voiced > resistance to the idea for similar reasons, arguing that the devices would > muddle the reception of over-the-air TV stations. The Consumer Electronics > Association said in comments to the FCC last year that its member companies > could not reach a consensus as to whether new devices could be introduced to > the spectrum without posing interference risks to existing services. > > Both new bills would instruct the FCC to move more quickly on concluding those > rulemaking procedures. The agency would have to come up with technical rules > and guidelines for those operating on the unlicensed spectrum, with an eye > toward preventing "harmful interference" from the new devices. > > But they differ slightly in their approaches. The American Broadband for > Communities Act > <http://dw.com.com/redir?destUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fthomas.loc.gov%2Fcgi-bin%2Fbdque > ry%2Fz%3Fd109%3As.02332%3A&siteId=3&oId=/Why+our+broadband+policys+sti > ll+a+mess/2008-1034_3-5590929.html&ontId=1035&lop=nl.ex> offered by > Sen. Ted Stevens, the Alaska Republican who chairs the Senate Commerce > Committee, would involve rewriting telecommunications law to free up only > certain portions of the unused spectrum for wireless deployment. > > Virginia Republican George Allen's two-page Wireless Innovation Act of 2006, > co-sponsored by Democrats John Kerry and Barbara Boxer, and by Republican John > Sununu, appears to call for unlicensed wireless activities on any unused piece > of the analog TV band. > > "At a time when the U.S. is lagging behind much of the world in broadband > penetration > <http://news.com.com/Study+Broadband+penetration+slowing/2100-1034_3-5875981.h > tml?tag=nl> --and more than 60 percent of the country does not subscribe to > broadband service primarily because it is either unavailable or > unaffordable--our legislation would put this country one step closer to > closing the economic digital divide and achieving ubiquitous broadband > Internet access > <http://news.com.com/Broadband+A+life-saving+technology/2009-1034_3-5261361.ht > ml?tag=nl> throughout America," Allen said in a statement. > > > Copyright <http://www.cnet.com/aboutcnet/0-13611-7-811029.html?tag=ft> > ©1995-2006 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. > >
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "telecom-cities" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/telecom-cities -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
