Spectrum and Wireless Policy
Spectrum is another word for the public airwaves, the transmission frequencies used by radio, TV, satellite broadcasters and cell phone companies to transmit signals.
While broadcasters and wireless companies have government-issued licenses to certain portions of the spectrum, other swaths are unlicensed, meaning that any company can develop a product -- such as your cordless home phone, bluetooth headset or remote control -- that utilizes open space.
As digital technology enables more efficient use of the spectrum, the airwaves can be used to provide high-speed Internet access. They have the potential to unleash the mobile Web, bridge the digital divide and provide universal, affordable Internet access for all Americans.
Recent Policy Work
Free Press, Consumers Union, Media Access Project, Public Knowledge, Consumer Federation of America and New America Foundation filed comments on October 14, 2009 with the FCC on truth-in-billing practices of phone, cable and wireless providers. The consumer groups highlight some of the most egregious examples of misleading, confusing and harmful advertising and billing practices and emphasize that current protections are not enough to adequately protect consumers:
www.freepress.net/files/Truth_In_Billing.pdf
Truth-in-billing reply comments were filed with the FCC October 28, 2009 by Free Press, Consumers Union, Media Access Project, Public Knowledge, Consumer Federation of America and New America Foundation. In the comments, the public interest groups lay out what information consumers need regarding billing, purchasing and marketing in order to make well-educated decisions: http://www.freepress.net/files/TIB_Reply_Comment.pdf
Free Press filed comments with the FCC on October 22, 2009 regarding the need for greater competition and innovation in the mobile wireless market. The comments highlight existing barriers to entry in the wireless market and a need for new industry data to better asses wireless competition: http://www.freepress.net/files/Mobile_Wireless_Competition_REPLY.pdf
Free Press highlighted the need for competition in the wireless market when it filed comments with its' allies on June 15, 2009 for the Federal Communications Commission's annual report on competition in the wireless market: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_doc...
Free Press and its allies filed reply comments on July 13, 2009 to debunk many of the carriers' false claims -- like competition in the wireless market is flourishing or restrictive handset deals are actually good for consumers.
Read the comments: http://www.freepress.net/files/CMRSCompReplyComments7-13.pdf
Free Press, Media Access Project, and Consumers Union sent a letter July 20, 2009 to Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Sens. John D. Rockefeller (D-WV) and John F. Kerry (D-MA) responding to Verizon's 'compromise' on exclusive handset deal limits: http://www.freepress.net/files/LetteronVerizonHEStatement072109.pdf
On April 3, 2009, Free Press sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission calling on the agency to confirm that wireless networks must adhere to the Internet Policy Statement, which protects consumers' right to access any online content and services on any device of their choosing. Read the letter at: http://www.freepress.net/files/Wireless_IPS_letter.pdf
Free Press is active in multiple coalitions advocating for enlightened spectrum policy that serves the public interest by bringing the benefits of broadband to all Americans and fostering openness and innovation. These coalitions include the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition (PISC) and the Wireless Innovation Alliance.
At the FCC
Other wireless & spectrum-related dockets at the FCC have included:
- How best to utilize white spaces, vacant portions of the public airwaves with the potential to deliver wireless broadband services.
- The government auction of the 700MHz spectrum, a valuable slice of the public airwaves.
- The Skype Petition to require wireless phone carriers to allow any device and application to operate on their networks.
- The AWS-3 auction to allow the use of a block of spectrum for free access to a nationwide “family-friendly” Internet.
- On Nov. 4, 2008, the FCC cast a crucial vote to approve the unlicensed use of "white spaces" -- empty airwaves between television channels -- to provide high-speed Internet access nationwide. Click here to read about this enormous victory for the American public.
