Updated on December 16th, 2011
The House recently approved spectrum legislation granting the FCC incentive auction authority. In his statement responding to the bill, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski recognized that the legislation would promote investment, innovation, job creation, and U.S. leadership in mobile broadband. He expressed concern, however, that the bill limits the FCC’s authority to allocate spectrum cleared by auction on an unlicensed basis and restrict auction eligibility.
Although I appreciate the FCC’s desire for unlimited authority, it isn’t surprising that the House has proposed to limit the scope of the FCC’s delegation over spectrum policies granting special market privileges to favored technologies, services, or industry groups. Rather than make things better, FCC attempts to fine tune the market through government privilege typically result in unintended consequences that make things worse. Read the rest of this entry »
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auction broadband public safety spectrum T-Mobile wireless
Updated on February 10th, 2011
President Obama revealed the details of his National Wireless Initiative today. The plan he outlined is refreshingly bold and comprehensive and addresses many needs.
- Nearly everyone agrees that more spectrum is needed for mobile wireless. The President’s plan proposes to free up 500 MHz of spectrum through incentive auctions and more efficient government use.
- Nearly everyone agrees we need to do more to provide broadband to unserved consumers, and that wireless is the most cost-effective way to do it. The President’s plan proposes to invest $5 billion and reform the Universal Service Fund to provide at least 98% of Americans with access to 4G wireless service.
- Nearly everyone agrees we need to deploy a nationwide wireless broadband network for public safety. The President’s plan proposes that $10.7 billion be dedicated to building that network and reallocation of the D Block to public safety use.
- Nearly everyone agrees we need to continue to innovate in wireless technologies. The President’s plan proposes to devote $3 billion to a Wireless Innovation (“WIN”) fund supporting research and development of emerging wireless technologies and applications.
- Nearly everyone agrees we need to reduce the deficit. The President’s plan proposes to reduce the deficit using $9.6 billion in auction proceeds.
Perhaps everyone won’t agree with every detail of the President’s plan. But everyone should agree that this bold, comprehensive plan is a real leap forward.
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mobile public safety spectrum wireless
Updated on July 13th, 2010
Dana Barrett: “What is that thing you’re doing?”
Dr. Peter Venkman: “It’s technical . . . .”
Ghostbusters (1984)
So far I’ve successfully resisted the urge to comment on the 700 MHz D Block issues percolating at the FCC (although I did reference the FCC’s report in an earlier post). After coming back from my traditional 4th of July holiday, however, I’ve succumbed to the temptation to opine on the FCC’s “D Block Capacity Report.”
Others have already analyzed the Report in detail. (For Andrew Seybold’s comprehensive analysis, click here.) And I’ll try not to repeat their analyses in this post. Instead, I focus on the framing of the Report and, perhaps most importantly, what the Report doesn’t say.
The FCC frames its D Block capacity Report as a “technical” analysis intended to determine whether 10 MHz of spectrum is sufficient to meet public safety’s communications requirements in various scenarios. But, of course, this purported “technical” analysis is based as much on economic and policy assumptions as it is on engineering. It has to be: Because capacity is impacted by issues like cell density, which is in part a matter of economics, capacity isn’t solely a technical issue.
The FCC appears to concede that whether 10 MHz of spectrum is sufficient for day-to-day operations depends in part on how much money public safety has to deploy and maintain the network. (See Report at pages 5-7.) Indeed, the Report relies heavily on the potential economies of scope and scale that public safety would enjoy if the D Block is licensed to a commercial operator. (See Report at pages 16-17.) But the report erroneously assumes that the “benefits associated with sharing an LTE band class (Band Class 14) with the commercial D block licensee would evaporate” if the D Block were given to public safety. Isn’t it just as likely that public safety could use its access to an additional 10 MHz of spectrum (which, according to the Report, public safety doesn’t need) as an incentive to entice a commercial licensee into a mutually beneficial, voluntary partnership with public safety? Unfortunately, the Report doesn’t address this question or other alternative scenarios involving both economic and technical analysis.
Ironically, the FCC is clearly relying on significant relationships developing between public safety and commercial partners through roaming and priority access regimes. (See Report at pages 11-12.) However, the FCC apparently wishes to impose roaming and priority access requirements on commercial licensees as a matter of regulatory fiat, rather than allow them to develop through cooperative agreements between commercial licensees and public safety (using the D Block as leverage). It appears the FCC is more comfortable with imposing regulation on commercial licensees (who will be forced to allow public safety to access their spectrum and commercial resources) than giving more spectrum to public safety and relying on voluntary sharing arrangements. Regardless of its merits, this preference is one of policy and economics that has been given a dubious “technical” patina.
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D-Block public safety spectrum
Updated on June 18th, 2010
In my analysis of the FCC’s 14th Mobile Competition Report (“14th Report”), I noted that the 14th Report lacked relevant data supporting its conclusion that spectrum below 1 GHz may provide competitive advantages. Among other things, I noted the 14th Report failed to consider elements affecting cell density other than propagation characteristics – elements such as capacity, geographic terrain, and typical power levels.
Now the FCC itself has confirmed the relevance of these factors to cell density. In a white paper released this week (“Public Safety Report”), the FCC published “a technical analysis of the capacity and performance of the public safety broadband network assuming that the National Broadband Plan recommendations concerning this network are implemented.” (Public Safety Report at 1.) Read the rest of this entry »
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mobile public safety spectrum wireless wireless competition
Updated on February 24th, 2010
“It’s all ‘part of the plan.’” Joker, The Dark Knight (2008).
Today FCC Chairman Genachowski gave a speech outlining his plan for ensuring the United States has “the fastest, most robust, and most extensive mobile broadband networks, and the most innovative mobile broadband marketplace in the world.” Although any analysis must include significant caveats given the very general nature of the speech, it was clear on a few critical points. Read the rest of this entry »
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broadband mobile public safety Universal Service Fund USF wireless