| September, 2007 |  |
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FCC airwave auction rules to give consumers more choice
Federal regulators Tuesday approved rules for an upcoming airwave auction that are aimed at giving consumers new choices in cellphones and other devices by breaking the grip of the big wireless carriers.
The Federal Communications Commission's rules also make room for a nationwide network that would fix public-safety agencies' inability to communicate with each other in a crisis, a critical problem in disasters such as Hurricane Katrina.
The rules, approved by a 4-1 vote, set the stage for the January auction of airwaves that will be vacated by TV stations when they start to broadcast in digital only in February 2009. They're some of the most desirable airwaves ever sold, because they allow signals to travel farther and more easily penetrate buildings.
"This is prime real estate in the spectrum market," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said in an interview.
Under the FCC's rules, the winning bidder of about a third of the spectrum must allow subscribers to use any handset, and download any software, they choose. Google (GOOG), for instance, could sell its own phone that could be used on AT&T's network. Today, the big wireless carriers, such as AT&T (ATT) and Verizon (VZ), tightly control the devices hooked to their services and the video, games and other software that they run.
The agency, however, did not require the winner of the airwaves to lease the spectrum to third parties, as Google requested. That would have opened the market to a provider that could have offered a wireless broadband service to the home in competition with the big cable and phone companies, Gene Kimmelman of Consumers Union says.
"I am concerned that we haven't done enough here to open these critical airwaves to badly needed (broadband) competition," Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein says.
The absence of a leasing mandate also makes it likely a large wireless carrier will win the spectrum and try to make it tough for competing devices to work on its network, says analyst Blair Levin of Stifel Nicolaus. The FCC imposed conditions to try to prevent that, including prohibiting the carrier from discriminating in price or other ways against competing handsets.
But Commissioner Robert McDowell dissented, saying the any-device requirement could dissuade anyone from bidding on the spectrum.
The winner of a separate chunk of nationwide airwaves must make its network available to police and fire agencies in an emergency. Many of the USA's public-safety agencies can't talk to each other in a crisis because their radios operate on different frequencies.
Levin says the requirement could discourage bidders that have different needs than public safety.
The FCC also set minimum bid prices, including $10 billion for the entire auction. If those prices aren't met, the FCC can re-auction the airwaves without the mandates to accommodate any device and public safety.
DirecTV Announces Plan to Provide Service via BPL
According to the August 15 edition of The Wall Street Journal, “Satellite-television provider DirecTV announced a wholesale agreement today with Current Group to provide high-speed Internet service over electric-power lines,” otherwise known as broadband over powerlines (BPL). “Broadband over power line is a new technology that allows customers to plug a modem device the size of a cell phone into an electric outlet and connect a cable from their computer for Internet access that is capable of speeds that are faster than some popular Internet plans from cable and phone companies. Current is building out broadband networks in Cincinnati and Dallas-Fort Worth and is in talks with a number of utilities around the world about a commercial rollout,” the Journal said.
OFCOM publishes proposals for 10GHz
OFCOM have recently published proposals with relevance to the 3cm band. The proposals concern the award and auction of spectrum at 10GHz to 40GHz. One range of frequencies under consideration coincides with the 3cm Amateur Satellite Service allocation. Details are on the Ofcom web site at:
www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/10ghz/
www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/10-40notice/
AMSAT UK
AMSAT-UK publish a newletter OSCAR News which is full of Amateur Satellite information. For further details
contact Jim Heck G3WGM. Tel: + 44 (0) 1258 453959 Email g3wgm@amsat.org
Web: www.uk.amsat.org To join AMSAT-UK online see
https://secure.amsat.org.uk/subscription/
| September, 2007 | |
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