NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] FCC "White Spaces" MO&O
----- Forwarded message from Dave Farber <dave@farber.net> ----- Date: Fri, 1 Oct 2010 02:08:17 -0400 From: Dave Farber <dave@farber.net> Subject: [IP] FCC "White Spaces" MO&O Reply-To: dave@farber.net To: ip <ip@listbox.com> 7C773966-CD22-11DF-A66D-FAF6D5A5B52C: Begin forwarded message: > From: David Josephson <dlj04@josephson.com> > Date: October 1, 2010 12:46:35 AM EDT > To: dave@farber.net > Subject: FCC "White Spaces" MO&O > > Dave, > > I wonder if anyone on the IP list has anything concrete on this topic -- it seems an extraordinary leap of faith. I work mostly in pro audio and chair a couple of committees in the Audio Engineering Society where we have been following the progress of the spectrum tussle between the broadcasters and the computer industry (with a cluster of kibitzers from the licensed carriers, the churches, and a music industry group headed by Dolly Parton). I wrote an article that appeared in the December 2008 Journal of the AES that explained the basic ideas. We've been following up with the migration of most wireless mics from pirate radio to legal unlicensed status, and last week the further tuning of the "TV Bands Devices" rules. > > FCC Chair Genachowski says this development will "enhance our economy and strengthen our global competitiveness, lead to billions of dollars in private investment and to valuable new products and services..." Is anyone really on this bandwagon except the folks at the Commission who have a mandate to make more spectrum appear to be available? > > We are talking about the spectrum in TV channels 2, 5-36 and 38-51. A channel (all 6 MHz of it) becomes available for use by white-space base stations and portable/mobiles if there is no TV co-channel or adjacent channel within so many miles. The T-band channels that have been given to land mobile are out, as are at least two channels everywhere for wireless mics. Locations more than 75 meters above average terrain are out, and locations within 1 km of operating licensed wireless mics or large installations of unlicensed wireless mics. This doesn't leave a lot of room in any location (where people actually live) where white space devices can function. It might be a real boon for long-range wireless in rural America, but that's all I can see -- and I wonder if that will make up enough of a market opportunity for anyone to finance equipment design and FCC approval. To date there are no FCC-approved devices on the market, and they are still working out the details of the database that systems are required to consult in order to find out what channels are available at a given location. > > I would be really interested to know whether anyone was really planning a rollout of systems based on this spectrum. It would be great for NLOS "Super WiFi" outside the cities, but is anyone actually going to make it happen? > > David Josephson > > > > > ------------------------------------------- ----- End forwarded message -----