MyDD :: Innovators/Entrepreneurs Wanted for FCC Action

Innovators/Entrepreneurs Wanted for FCC Action

by Matt Stoller, Tue May 29, 2007 at 04:48:06 PM EST

So a bunch of us have written about a wireless spectrum auction coming down the pike. Basically, a chunk of spectrum is coming free and the FCC is considering how to allocate it. What happens with this spectrum will determine whether we can build a new America with a genuinely revolutionary open culture, or whether the cable and telecom gatekeepers get to continue to use the public airwaves and prevent innovation. Today, Moveon, Freepress, and Working Assets all went out with action items. Moveon's petition is here. There's also a facebook group I want national wireless Internet!.

I have a special request for people who are either entrepreneurs or are innovating in some social capacity that is reliant on communication networks. We need you! There is a movement afoot to organize innovators who understand barriers to entry, folks in the wireless technology field, consumer advocates, pro-competition advocates, and organizations active on these issue. If this applies to you, email innovationcompetition@gmail.com.

You matter on this one. And it's a big deal. We'll put you to good use, whether you can go public or not.

Tags: spectrum reform, telecom policy, wireless neutrality (all tags)

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Re: Innovators/Entrepreneurs Wanted for FCC Action (none / 0)

Here is a PDF of all the available spectrum, and how it's been allocated by the FCC. The last lucrative spectrum auction went for almost $14 billion which was for a total of 90Mhz split between the 1.7Ghz (i.e. 1710-1755Mhz) and 2.1Ghz bands. While that's not an insignificant amount of spectrum, it's still a minute amount considering how much space TV channels take up and is worse in quality when talking about range and other things that matter in RF design. We're probably talking about between 20-80Mhz being free for spectrum we're interested in once some chunks are taken out for inter-operable radios for the police and fire departments (and other first responders). I'm yet to see more details on this, or I'm being lazy.

If Google and maybe some other tech companies (Intel?) put their full weight behind this, and the FCC actually decides to listen to consumers, the real-time auction proposal might actually see the light of day, but having more amateur spectrum (aka free-for-all spectrum, see PDF), like the 2.4Ghz band that our WiFi routers and cordless phones work in wouldn't be bad either.

Oh, the real-time spectrum auction idea, could be first found on the internet here along with recent updates (search for "spectrum" on the page). It's better than having a telco owning the spectrum, and shows promise for being less prone to deliberate noise interference than amateur spectrum might be. It will take a while for even software radio to catch up with real-time spectrum auctions though. Then again, the spectrum won't be available for a couple of years.

by audi100quattro on Wed May 30, 2007 at 03:37:06 AM EST

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