Last week I had the pleasure of attending an event hosted by George Mason University's Information Economy Project which was focused on the topic of unlicensed spectrum.
The 10 second version: if you use Wi-Fi or a cordless phone, you're using Unlicensed Spectrum. Those 700mhz bands considered "white space" are unlicensed because to use them for TV channels would cause all sorts of TV interference. On the other hand, letting them be used for cool stuff like wide-area networks would have the same effect that the Part 85 rules did in the past (opening the door to stuff like 802.11, which is now an international standard).
It is fair to sell licenses for the exclusive right to use a chunk of spectrum. On the other hand, it is just as fair, not to mention in the public interest (see Communications Act, 1934) for the FCC to allow White Spaces to be used to develop new devices which would use the White Spaces, which are by definition public property, to provide the public with new wireless applications.
The 10 second version: if you use Wi-Fi or a cordless phone, you're using Unlicensed Spectrum. Those 700mhz bands considered "white space" are unlicensed because to use them for TV channels would cause all sorts of TV interference. On the other hand, letting them be used for cool stuff like wide-area networks would have the same effect that the Part 85 rules did in the past (opening the door to stuff like 802.11, which is now an international standard).
It is fair to sell licenses for the exclusive right to use a chunk of spectrum. On the other hand, it is just as fair, not to mention in the public interest (see Communications Act, 1934) for the FCC to allow White Spaces to be used to develop new devices which would use the White Spaces, which are by definition public property, to provide the public with new wireless applications.
Leave a comment