Tag: White Space

Shareholders for Verizon, AT&T, and other companies that paid big money in the 700 MHz auction may want to check the fine print and hold back on final payment. Thanks to a quirk in the FCC’s rules, the NFL, the MPAA, and other users of “broadcast ancillary services” (BAS) may have superior rights in the spectrum.

I’ve written a longer and more technical version of this on my Tales of the Sausage Factory blog. But for those without the patience for the long story, here’s the quick version of what may turn out to be the funniest and most expensive joke in FCC history.

The white spaces proceeding is the next big opportunity for experiments in alternative ways of providing wireless highspeed internet access. I’ve written about this here, here, here, and here.

Today the Wireless Innovation Alliance (a group of which PK is a member) sent a letter (PDF) to the Hill. In it, we ask members of Congress to see through the FUD that NAB has been spreading about interference. Much of the FUD about whitespaces is trying to fool the uneducated about what’s being tested and what stage of the testing we’re at. I wanted to try to catch you up on the latest goings on and clear out the fear, uncertainty and doubt.

Congress came back to town this week from its winter holiday break, and even though the economy, the war, the environment and the election will take center stage over the next year, Public Knowledge will have its hands full with a variety of technology, communications, copyright and patent matters. Here is a rundown of the specific issues that are likely to be addressed in 2008, in Congress and at the agencies with which PK works:

I’m on a panel next week that is nominally about virtual worlds but seems infinitely expandable, so I’m planning to talk about FCC regulation. It’s a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! kind of approach.

There’s a lively discussion about the DTV transition going on right now. (Go ahead, ask an elderly neighbor of yours who receives television broadcasts over the air what she knows about the DTV transition. I bet not much.)

1. Very large Houses of Worship urge the Commission not to allow unlicensed use of the white spaces. They point out that they have sophisticated systems:

Many houses have footprints larger than multiple football fields and hold pew-seating for worshipers in the thousands. Typical facilities may include a large stage for the pastor, and stages to accommodate hundred-person choirs, full orchestras, praise teams, a praise band, and complex sound systems. Our experienced technical staffs devote considerable time and effort in planning to ensure highquality productions including interference-free wireless microphone operation.

2322 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC

This forum, sponsored by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and the New America Foundation, will present a discussion of the white space issue, with a particular focus on how emerging technologies can open up spectrum white spaces to unlicensed devices and thereby spur a new round of digital innovation.

To RSVP or this event visit:
http://www.itif.org/rsvp/event.php?id=1

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is out in full force to make sure they keep control of the television spectrum without any “interference” from would be innovators. This latest wave of lobbying stems from a fumbled attempt by Microsoft to demonstrate a working prototype of a device that would interfere with television channels. A quick glance at their site touts that unlicensed devices and to a lesser extent, devices licensed by such big guns like Microsoft can and will interfere with television viewing causing consumers’ “pristine digital picture” to freeze and and pixelate, because we all know this never happens otherwise.