Tweet the FCC on Twitter

To stimulate public dialogue over the development of a National Broadband Plan, (GN Docket 09-51) the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has initiated a new blog called "Blogband." The blog will chronicle the development of the broadband plan and invites comments from its readers.

Take a look here: http://blog.broadband.gov/

And, the Commission also has joined the Twitter revolution:

http://www.twitter.com/fccdotgov

Nice to see the folks on the 8th floor at the Portals finally making an effort - albeit a somewhat radical one - to reach out to America (and the rest of the world as well), particularly in view of the way former Chairman Martin communicated with the public.

I'm sure the "new" FCC will get much more "dialog" and "stimulation" than they may be expecting from these initiatives once the general public discovers them (there are already over 10,000 responses to the Broadband Plan on the FCC's ECFS site). There's no doubt that both of these new sites will be ones to keep your eye on.

NR

"White Spaces" Rules for TV Spectrum Released

On Friday (11/14/2008) the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released their long-awaited and highly-debated Rules for the development and operation of so-called television band "white spaces" devices to be authorized under CFR 47 Part 15 sub-part H.


The following is excerpted from the FCC's "White Spaces" Order (FCC 08-260) on ET Docket No. 04-186 and ET Docket No. 02-380):

Introduction - Item 10. All Devices. All unlicensed TV band fixed and personal/portable TV band devices will be permitted to operate on TV channels 21-51, excluding channel 37. In addition, fixed TVBDs that only communicate with other fixed TVBDs will be permitted to operate on channels 2 and 5-20, except that they must avoid operation on channels used by private land mobile radio service (PLMRS), i.e., public safety, and commercial mobile radio service operations on channels in certain markets and areas adjacent to them. Also, in individual markets where there are Private Land Mobile Radio Service or Commercial Mobile Radio Service (PLMRS/CMRS) operations on channels 14-20, two channels in the range 21-51 will be reserved for operation by wireless microphones such that TVBDs will not be permitted on those channels. This plan for channel use is consistent with the requests of the various white space proponents and would reserve channels for a "safe harbor" for operation of wireless microphones and ensure protection of the public safety and other land mobile services that use channels 14-20. At this time, we are only permitting fixed TVBDs to operate on channels not that are not immediately next to (first adjacent on either side of) the channel of a TV station; personal portable devices will be allowed to operate on first adjacent channels to a TV station subject to the power limitation indicated above. All unlicensed TV band devices will be required to limit their out-of-band emissions in the first adjacent channel to a level 55 dB below the power level in the channel they occupy, as measured in a 100 kHz bandwidth. In addition, all TVBDs will be required to comply with a more stringent out-of-band emissions band at the edges of channels 36 and 38 that are adjacent to channel 37 in order to protect medical telemetry devices on that channel 37. Fixed devices will also be required to periodically transmit a signal with their identification when they are operating. This will facilitate identification of sources of interference. The database system for fixed stations and personal/portable devices with geo-location and database access capability will be managed by a database manager or managers selected by our Office of Engineering and Technology.

Full text of Order:

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-08-260A1.pdf


It'll be at least a year or more until any products or services are available to utilize this spectrum (none have been certificated by the FCC as yet and, you can probably count on both proponents and opponents continuing their war of words and legal challenges), so, this might be a good time to suggest that all potential "white spaces" users familiarize themselves with Appendix B of the Order which contains the Final "White Spaces" Rules and the new Part 15 Sub-Part H on Television Band Devices.


NR

The Great "White Spaces" Challenge

Google (and its technology partners) are facing the great "white spaces" challenge - the next big spectrum allocation battle - from the politically powerful NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) and others.

On the one hand we have the over-the-air TV broadcasters (who rarely offer much worth the bandwidth it takes to beam it into our living rooms) insisting that the spectrum will "suffer" from the use of unlicensed wi-fi like devices operating near THEIR frequencies.

On the other hand, we have pretty much the rest of the country clamoring - no, make that screaming - for the opportunity to deploy "innovative" wireless communications devices and services, "stimulate" our economy, and make "better use" of nearly the very SAME spectrum - all on an unlicensed basis with little if any regulatory enforcement of that use. (Which, IMHO, is a somewhat worrisome scenario to begin with considering the historical track record over the years of the FCC's ability to "protect" the natural resource we call the RF spectrum, AND, the purported "better use" and "innovation" that the "white spaces" proponents claim they'll make with the resource.)

This spectrum battle should prove VERY interesting to say the least. Let's hope the regulators make the right decision - whatever "right" is deemed to be these days.


NR
(Repost)

TV "White Space" Spectrum Debate Simmers

For those following the TV spectrum "white spaces" debate currently simmering on the FCC's back burner, here is a policy backgrounder worth a read from Sascha Meinrath and the New America Foundation:

According to Meinrath, "smart" wireless devices can use the unassigned frequencies between broadcast TV channels to offer wireless broadband and other innovative services. A rulemaking is pending at the FCC (Docket 04-186 - with over 11,000 comments from the public and industry to date) as to whether to permit unlicensed access to this currently wasted spectrum, subject to technical requirements that will protect television reception from interference. Access to the vacant TV channels in each market has been the subject of intense lobbying, yet far too many of the arguments against "white space" devices rely upon misinformation about the technologies and the FCC process that will prevent harmful interference to DTV reception and other incumbent services.

This policy backgrounder offers a summary analysis, and is an effort to help policymakers strike the appropriate balance between protecting existing services from interference while making the benefits of mobile broadband services available and affordable for all consumers. It provides policymakers with:

1. a brief historical background to the current FCC proceedings;
2. a description of White Space Device (WSD) technologies;
3. a “Myths vs. Facts” section addressing the key concerns raised about WSDs;
4. an overview of the public benefits of WSDs; and
5. a concise summary of where we are in the multi-phase process of adopting WSD technologies for consumer use.

The complete document should be reviewed by anyone interested in or concerned about the development of "white space devices" (WSD's), FCC regulation, and technology -- because spectrum matters.

NR

Managing "Open Access", "White Spaces", & Unlicensed Spectrum

There's more than a few issues and challenges open for consideration and debate when it comes to allowing more and more "open access" and license-free use of the radio spectrum as the authors of this 2005 white paper attempt to point out....

"Managing Shared Access to a Spectrum Commons" (Presented at the IEEE DySpan2005 - Baltimore - November 2005 By William Lehr and Jon Crowcroft)

Abstract

The open access, unlicensed or spectrum commons approach to managing shared access to RF spectrum offers many attractive benefits, especially when implemented in conjunction with and as a complement to a regime of market-based, flexible use, tradable licensed spectrum.

However, as a number of critics have pointed out, implementing the unlicensed model poses difficult challenges that have not been well-addressed yet by commons advocates.

A successful spectrum commons will not be unregulated, but it also need not be command & control by another name. This paper seeks to address some of the implementation challenges associated with managing a spectrum commons. We focus on the minimal set of features that we believe a suitable management protocol, etiquette, or framework for a spectrum commons will need to incorporate.

This includes: (1) No transmit only devices; (2) Power restrictions; (3) Common channel signaling; (4) Mechanism for handling congestion and allocating resources among users/uses in times of congestion; (5) Mechanism to support enforcement (e.g., established procedures to verify protocol is in conformance); (6) Mechanism to support reversibility of policy; and (7) Protection for privacy and security.

We explain why each is necessary, examine their implications for current policy, and suggest ways in which they might be implemented. We present a framework that suggests a set of design principles for the protocols that will govern a successful commons management regime. Our design rules lead us to conclude that the appropriate Protocols for a Commons will need to be more liquid than in the past: (1) Market-based instead of C&C; (2) Decentralized/distributed; and, (3) Adaptive and flexible (Anonymous, distributed, decentralized, and locally responsive).


Offered as suggested background reading and insight in light of the big push for these by the TV "white spaces" proponents, the Cognitive Radio/SDR folks, and the Google's, Intel's, and Microsoft's of the new wireless world.


NR

700 MHz, TV "White Space" Spectrum, the FCC and the Future of Wireless Communications

She's done it again! Susan P. Crawford, that is. In her latest working paper, The Radio and The Internet, she presents a broad overview and historical background (with many footnotes to more in-depth details for those with inquiring minds) of how the natural resource known as the RF spectrum has been allocated and managed (or, as many believe, mis-managed) by the FCC over the last several decades.

But, she also has done an excellent job (the best I've seen, at least) of putting into a pretty balanced context most of the unbalanced rhetoric, hype, and political posturing from all sides of the hotly debated 700 MHz auction rules proceeding that we've all just experienced.

She also reminds the regulators of the pressing need for them to be much more decisive than they have been regarding the definition of the "public interest" aspect of 21st century spectrum and technology matters during the on-going TV "White Spaces" debate which, by the way, will most certainly be the subject of the next big spectrum battle. Stay tuned - it's likely to be just as contentious if not more so than the 700 MHz debate was since it involves unlicensed use of the spectrum.

Here's the abstract of the paper, but the actual paper is a much better read and really deserves a few minutes of your time:

Abstract:

The airwaves offer the potential for contributing to enormous
economic growth if they are used more efficiently for facilitating
high-speed internet access, but recent industry and government
actions have failed to follow this path.

This article evaluates the multi-billion-dollar 700 MHz auction
regime established by the Federal Communications Commission
in August 2007 as a case study in our national approach to this
valuable resource, and argues that the public interest would
best be served by having ubiquitous access to the internet be
the top priority of communications policy.

The article criticizes the nearly exclusive focus of the FCC on the
interests of incumbents and law enforcement, and suggests that
spectrum policy be focused on enabling unlicensed uses of the
airwaves that can assist the nation with online access.

Download a copy and decide for yourself.

NR

"White Space" Proponents to Try Again at FCC

Well....we didn't have to wait that long to learn the answer to the question I posed in a previous post concerning the TV "White Space" device testing proceeding, and, I don't think anyone will be very surprised as to what it is.

Microsoft filed a letter with the FCC today claiming that the scanner in one of two WSD prototypes submitted was damaged and "operated at a severely degraded level." The scanner in the wireless device is supposed to sniff for broadcasts in spectrum before transmitting in the band and switch to another band if the first one is occupied. The FCC found that the prototype did not consistently detect TV broadcast signals and could cause interference.

Also, this past Friday, the FCC extended an invitation to interested parties to participate in an on-site visit to the FCC Laboratory in Columbia, Maryland to observe and discuss the test set up and procedures for evaluating the performance of these devices.

The meeting will occur on Thursday August 16, 2007 at 1 PM at the Commission’s Laboratory in Columbia, Maryland. Parties interested in attending should send an e-mail to Patricia.Goff@FCC.gov, identifying the organization and how many individuals plan to attend (space is limited). At the meeting, Commission staff will provide an overview of the tests, answer any questions, and consider suggestions for any further testing to evaluate the performance of TV White Space Devices. Directions to the Laboratory can be found at http://www.fcc.gov/oet/faqs/lab/directions.pdf

Make your reservations early.....

NR