dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
view:
topics flat nest 
Comments on news posted 2006-02-22 14:31:44: Two new bills aim to allow US wireless broadband operators unlicensed use of so-called "white spaces" in the analog television spectrum. Stations don't transmit in this spectrum, and it can be found in even the most dense urban locations. ..

russotto
join:2000-10-05
West Orange, NJ

russotto

Member

Breaking up the spectrum.

Seems to me that this might preclude certain uses of the spectrum once analog broadcasts cease (if they ever do...), by "fencing off" sections that could otherwise be contiguous.

ShootToThril
Tell The Truth
Premium Member
join:2004-06-07
Sherman Oaks, CA

ShootToThril

Premium Member

???

Someone hit me over the head......How does this have anything to do with Broadband?

scooby
Premium Member
join:2001-05-01
Schaumburg, IL

scooby

Premium Member

Re: ???

said by ShootToThril:

Someone hit me over the head......How does this have anything to do with Broadband?
Umm if its unlicensed it can be used for anything. Broadband could be one of the options.

VinDSL
In A Gadda Da Vida
join:2002-08-10
Gilbert, AZ
Actiontec C3000A
Netgear D7000
Netgear R7000

VinDSL to ShootToThril

Member

to ShootToThril
said by ShootToThril:

Someone hit me over the head......How does this have anything to do with Broadband?
Heh! If you would have read the article[s]...
quote:
"At a time when the U.S. is lagging behind much of the world in broadband penetration--and more than 60 percent of the country does not subscribe to broadband service primarily because it is either unavailable or unaffordable--our legislation would put this country one step closer to closing the economic digital divide and achieving ubiquitous broadband Internet access throughout America," Allen said in a statement.

ShootToThril
Tell The Truth
Premium Member
join:2004-06-07
Sherman Oaks, CA

ShootToThril

Premium Member

Re: ???

I only asked to be hit over the head once not Twice:D... but thank you for that, i admit i was to lazy to read this one.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

2 edits

FFH5

Premium Member

2 new bills at odds with Gov't plans to auction off spectrum

Both of these bills would seem to be at odds with US plans to auction off freed up spectrum to companies for billions of dollars. The news item mention these having broad support in Congress, but given the budget deficit situation, unless there is a change in whose in charge in Congress after the 2006 elections, I suspect neither of these bills has much chance of passage. »arstechnica.com/news.ars ··· 232.html
quote:
Open television spectrum has long been considered a prize by wireless device makers, but many people thought that the government would hold out until 2009, clear the analog TV stations out of the way, and then auction off the spectrum to the highest bidders.
k_mumm
join:2001-06-14
Laramie, WY

k_mumm

Member

Re: 2 new bills at odds with Gov't plans to auction off spectrum

What a joke. Why exactly should we auction this off? The money that the government makes is tiny compared to the uses that smaller companies could gain from keeping it open. If we auction it off the same monopolies that control the airwaves now will control them forever. I live in fear of a world where Clear Channel, Verizon, Sprint, At&t anf a few other megacorps control all wireless spectrum.

Disclaimer: Yes I work for a small WISP

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

wifi4milez to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
said by FFH5:

Both of these bills would seem to be at odds with US plans to auction off freed up spectrum to companies for billions of dollars. The news item mention these having broad support in Congress, but given the budget deficit situation, unless there is a change in whose in charge in Congress after the 2006 elections, I suspect neither of these bills has much chance of passage. »arstechnica.com/news.ars ··· 232.html
I think that the government will auction of specific frequencies to be licensed, thus limiting their use to only the owners. Opening up unlicensed spectrum on the other hand, will allow users to do as they please (think about wifi, bluetooth, cordless phones, etc. who all use the same frequency for different things).
newyorkslick
join:2001-12-19
Rosedale, NY

newyorkslick

Member

What else?

"What shall we use to fill the empty spaces...."

Porn.

Or a new flavor of WiFi.

Or why not both?

koolman2
Premium Member
join:2002-10-01
Anchorage, AK

koolman2

Premium Member

What about GMRS?

What happens to GMRS then? It's a perfectly legal, licensed band, which happens to be at and around 462 MHz.
Eric Martin
join:2005-06-19
66308

Eric Martin

Member

We need to FREE the airwaves , NOT sell out !

Selling out out to these companies creates only uses for upper income folk.

We need more democratic ownership in our airwaves.

These airwaves DON'T belong to the government.

We NEED a better system of sharing the spectrum like what Wifi does.

»www.greaterdemocracy.org ··· FAQ.html

RayW
Premium Member
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT

RayW

Premium Member

Re: We need to FREE the airwaves , NOT sell out !

said by Eric Martin:

Selling out out to these companies creates only uses for upper income folk.

We need more democratic ownership in our airwaves.

These airwaves DON'T belong to the government.

We NEED a better system of sharing the spectrum like what Wifi does.
Not that I agree with the current trend of spectrum allocations, but democracy on the airwaves? That was tried once upon a time, hence the FCC and equivalents. I wonder who is the real money behind that website you posted?
Eric Martin
join:2005-06-19
66308

Eric Martin

Member

Re: We need to FREE the airwaves , NOT sell out !

Evil citizens with free minds !
madrhino
join:2004-07-03

madrhino

Member

Re: We need to FREE the airwaves , NOT sell out !

said by Eric Martin:

Evil citizens with free minds !

Your minds may be free but your ass and everything else belongs to Bush.(Well his owners anyway).And your stinking airwaves are an asset to be exploted by them as is their divine right.

RayW
Premium Member
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT

RayW

Premium Member

Re: We need to FREE the airwaves , NOT sell out !

said by madrhino:
said by Eric Martin:

Evil citizens with free minds !

Your minds may be free but your ass and everything else belongs to Bush.(Well his owners anyway).And your stinking airwaves are an asset to be exploted by them as is their divine right.

I like it. When Clinton 'had' the sales, it was ok, when Bush 'does' them, it is wrong.
grantje
Premium Member
join:2003-05-07
Kokomo, IN

1 recommendation

grantje

Premium Member

My suggestions...

#1. Repurpose "Low VHF" Channel 6 spectrum to expand the FM band:
»www.lpfm.ws/news/channel6.php
This will open up more opportunities for local community groups to be heard on the airwaves.

#2. Allow unlicensed use of the remainder of the spectrum for wireless internet access. But prioritize such use to locally owned ISPs, and/or those with national marketshare below 10-20%. Nothing in the previous sentence precludes larger/nonlocal ISPs from using such networks if they fairly compensate the owners, nor does it preclude larger/nonlocal ISPs from setting up their own networks. The idea would be to make sure that the existing ISPs aren't able to monopolize all unlicensed bandwidth in a given geographical area, to the extent that new entrants (big or small) are unable to compete.