"What happens when every wireless user has an iPhone, a Palm Pre, or a BlackBerry Tour?" Speaking at CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment in San Diego today, FCC head Julius Genachowski has said that he wants to "close the spectrum gap" -- the difference between the spectrum it's making available for wireless data versus enormous usage projections (400 petabytes a month by 2013, he says) that'll be brought about by smarter, easier-to-use devices and ubiquitous high-speed data through a handful of initiatives including the promotion of the smart use of existing spectrum through the use of femotcells, WiFi, and smart antennas, and -- more importantly -- reallocation of existing spectrum. Genachowski says there are "no easy pickings" for reallocation, but the Commission is aggressively pursuing additional airspace that can help keep 4G rollouts on track. He's gone on to say that they'll be adopting the widely-discussed "shot clock" policy for placement of new towers, giving locales a limited window to protest placement of cell sites that'll help spread 4G services over wider footprints. The guy seems genuinely concerned about keeping 4G rollouts rolling, so let's see just how far the guys in Washington are willing to go to do that.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Douglas @ Oct 7th 2009 1:08PM
And why can't the carriers simply build the networks themselves instead of having to buy everything from the government???
jonathan @ Oct 7th 2009 3:39PM
1) Operators have to buy (or lease, or be gifted) spectrum from the government because the government (actually we the people) owns it.
2) Operators build everything else networks with their own (actually their shareholders' and debt-holders') money.
Douglas @ Oct 7th 2009 4:15PM
Jonathan,
So basically you're telling me that the US government OWNS all the radio frequencies we can come up with, be it 850 mhz or 1900 mhz, 300 mhz, or 10000 mhz, right? And THEY get to tell us what we can and can't have to use for certain things, correct? So air traffic gets a band, CB gets a band, HAM gets a band, AM radio gets a band, FM gets its own, etc. Hmm, I understand things need their own designation so as to not have interference, but doesn't that seem like the government is saying this isn't God's earth, but the theirs, and they have total control over it, which is obviously wrong?
Valicore @ Oct 8th 2009 1:17AM
It probably falls under imminent domain - if not, I'm sure there is someplace in Siberia with lower restrictions. Honestly, I'm glad that they control it, otherwise things would be not too good. I wanna see white spaceeeeeeeeeeeeeee
FC1 @ Oct 7th 2009 7:58PM
@ Douglas
Well yeah, the government has to decide. I mean who else is going to determine what airwaves get used for what? God? ;-) Someone's got to determine whatever frequencies are used for different applications.
sendschie @ Oct 8th 2009 9:59AM
@douglas
the US has sovereignty (basically ownership) over its airspace, coastal waters, and territory and the government appropriate things under its jurisdiction as it sees fit. So you can buy land from the government, but without permission you can't bury your dead relatives in your backyard, China can't fly in US airspace, and companies can't start blasting radio waves all willy-nilly within the territory. That's just how it works for right now