NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] DOJ: more spectrum for wireless = more competitive Internet
----- Forwarded message from David Farber <dave@farber.net> ----- Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 12:19:16 -0500 From: David Farber <dave@farber.net> Subject: [IP] DOJ: more spectrum for wireless = more competitive Internet Reply-To: dave@farber.net To: ip <ip@v2.listbox.com> Begin forwarded message: From: Bob Poortinga <k9sql@k9sql.us> Date: January 5, 2010 11:21:51 AM EST To: Dave Farber <dave@farber.net> Subject: DOJ: more spectrum for wireless = more competitive Internet For IP if appropriate: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- DOJ: more spectrum for wireless = more competitive Internet The Department of Justice has weighed in on the debate over whether the wireless industry needs more spectrum. Its answer is yes, but the DOJ wants those new licenses to go to competitive providers, not just the incumbent telcos. <http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/01/doj-more-spectrum-for-wireless-more-competitive-internet.ars> The Department of Justice says the best way to encourage broadband competition is to make many more licenses available for wireless use. "Given the potential of wireless services to reach underserved areas and to provide an alternative to wireline broadband providers in other areas, the Commission’s primary tool for promoting broadband competition should be freeing up spectrum," the DOJ wrote to the FCC on Monday. Spectrum scarcity is the "fundamental problem" that the agency must tackle in order to help companies like Clearwire, T-Mobile, and Sprint offer high speed Internet comparable to land line Internet. "Stated simply, without access to sufficient spectrum a firm cannot provide state-of-the-art wireless broadband services." Although the Justice filing doesn't get into the specifics of how to make this spectrum shift happen, it offers ammunition to those urging the FCC to reorganize the UHF and VHF television license bands so as to free up more licenses for wireless. As we've reported, CTIA - The Wireless Association has submitted a plan that would do this by transitioning TV from high-power, high-altitude towers to networks of lower power towers, otherwise known as Distributed Transmission Systems, on single frequency networks. ... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Bob Poortinga K9SQL Bloomington, IN US ------------------------------------------- Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/ Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com ----- End forwarded message -----