Press Release
FCC takes important step to promote wireless broadband
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON, DC – Media Access Project (MAP), Free Press, and the New America Foundation praised the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today for taking an important step in promoting shared spectrum in the 3650-3700 MHz band order released today. The order will allow noncommercial community wireless networks (CWNs) and commercial wireless ISPs (WISPs) to access much needed new spectrum on a shared basis. But the groups added that the final version of the order must make sure that CWNs will really have access to the spectrum on equal footing with commercial WISPs.
"The Commission has taken a huge step in making wireless broadband available to people who don't have access to DSL and cable broadband, or who can't afford it," said Harold Feld, senior vice president of Media Access Project. MAP, a nonprofit, public interest law firm, represented several noncommercial networks and public interest organizations during the proceeding.
"Unlicensed wireless broadband is dirt cheap to deploy because you don't dig up streets or run hundreds of miles of wire or pay a billion dollars for a license in a spectrum auction," said Ben Scott, policy director for Free Press, a national, non-partisan media reform group. "You can set up a system with free software and parts you can buy at any box store."
As a result, hundreds of volunteer organizations have sprung up around the country to provide free wireless broadband in communities from New York City to a federation of Indian tribes scattered over hundreds of square miles in Southern California. Free Press works to help these community wireless networks mobilize and deploy systems in communities around the country.
Jim Snider, senior research fellow for the New America Foundation, sounded a cautionary note. "We won't know for sure if this is a good thing until we see the details," Snider said. "The exact balance struck between licensed and unlicensed advocates is not yet clear. If the first few people to set up systems can block new entrants, then we're back to the old site-licensing model with its army of lawyers and lobbyists playing king of the hill."
The New America Foundation is a Washington think-tank widely recognized as a leading expert on spectrum policy. Although the FCC voted to approve the Order today, it did not release a final text of the new rules.
The 3650-3700 MHz band is currently used for ground stations on the coasts and in the Midwest communicating with satellites. For most of the country, the band is "dead air" with no activity. At the same time, more and more communities want to use unlicensed spectrum like "Wi-Fi" to provide Internet services. For example, the City of Philadelphia has proposed creating a "wireless cloud" around its downtown and in neighborhoods where many residents can't afford DSL. In rural areas, wireless often provides the best way to get broadband, because it costs too much for a phone or cable company to provide the service.
The FCC initially proposed opening the band to stationary "high power" base-stations using 25 watts of power, and mobile "low power" devices using less than 1 watt of power. But many of the proposed limitations to protect existing licensees would have made the cost of using the new spectrum prohibitive to CWNs. The proposed rules also would have favored high-power users over low-power users. Many CWNs – particularly in crowded cities – use low-power "mesh" systems that go from antenna to antenna on nearby rooftops. By contrast, commercial users and rural CWNs prefer high-power systems that can send signals for miles and can use a single large antenna to serve many customers. But such high-power systems can interfere with low-power mesh networks.
MAP, Free Press and the New America Foundation worked hard to inform FCC staff about the needs of non-commercial networks. In the end, the FCC Order reflected a compromise between those favoring high-power, users of low-power mesh networks, and existing licensees demanding protection.
"The Commission has taken a huge step in making wireless broadband available to people who don't have access to DSL and cable broadband, or who can't afford it," said Harold Feld, senior vice president of Media Access Project. MAP, a nonprofit, public interest law firm, represented several noncommercial networks and public interest organizations during the proceeding.
"Unlicensed wireless broadband is dirt cheap to deploy because you don't dig up streets or run hundreds of miles of wire or pay a billion dollars for a license in a spectrum auction," said Ben Scott, policy director for Free Press, a national, non-partisan media reform group. "You can set up a system with free software and parts you can buy at any box store."
As a result, hundreds of volunteer organizations have sprung up around the country to provide free wireless broadband in communities from New York City to a federation of Indian tribes scattered over hundreds of square miles in Southern California. Free Press works to help these community wireless networks mobilize and deploy systems in communities around the country.
Jim Snider, senior research fellow for the New America Foundation, sounded a cautionary note. "We won't know for sure if this is a good thing until we see the details," Snider said. "The exact balance struck between licensed and unlicensed advocates is not yet clear. If the first few people to set up systems can block new entrants, then we're back to the old site-licensing model with its army of lawyers and lobbyists playing king of the hill."
The New America Foundation is a Washington think-tank widely recognized as a leading expert on spectrum policy. Although the FCC voted to approve the Order today, it did not release a final text of the new rules.
The 3650-3700 MHz band is currently used for ground stations on the coasts and in the Midwest communicating with satellites. For most of the country, the band is "dead air" with no activity. At the same time, more and more communities want to use unlicensed spectrum like "Wi-Fi" to provide Internet services. For example, the City of Philadelphia has proposed creating a "wireless cloud" around its downtown and in neighborhoods where many residents can't afford DSL. In rural areas, wireless often provides the best way to get broadband, because it costs too much for a phone or cable company to provide the service.
The FCC initially proposed opening the band to stationary "high power" base-stations using 25 watts of power, and mobile "low power" devices using less than 1 watt of power. But many of the proposed limitations to protect existing licensees would have made the cost of using the new spectrum prohibitive to CWNs. The proposed rules also would have favored high-power users over low-power users. Many CWNs – particularly in crowded cities – use low-power "mesh" systems that go from antenna to antenna on nearby rooftops. By contrast, commercial users and rural CWNs prefer high-power systems that can send signals for miles and can use a single large antenna to serve many customers. But such high-power systems can interfere with low-power mesh networks.
MAP, Free Press and the New America Foundation worked hard to inform FCC staff about the needs of non-commercial networks. In the end, the FCC Order reflected a compromise between those favoring high-power, users of low-power mesh networks, and existing licensees demanding protection.
