The F.C.C. Approves "WiFi on Steroids", or "White Space"

Physical World Gets Connected

This blog was started to discuss what happens when a physical object is able to connect to the Internet, or "Physical World Connection". Today's ruling by the F.C.C. takes a long step in seeing that happen.

Imagine every car, street light, refrigerator, pool, office equipment, Coke can, golf ball, billboard etc having its own ip address and Internet connection. The possibilities and improvement in productivity are mind boggling.


It's been called "WiFi on steroids" and offers "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to provide ubiquitous wireless broadband access to all Americans."

Microsoft calls "white spaces" the greatest improvement in Internet access since the advent of Wi-Fi."

White Spaces offers a "ton of bandwidth"

That is a highly desirable chunk of spectrum because the signals can easily pass through walls and other solid objects, giving them a much greater reach than WiFi or even WiMAX, both of which operate in higher frequency bands.

Vacant TV Airways Opened for $4B Wireless Market

Federal regulators cleared the way for technology companies to use vacant television channels for wireless data and Internet services that may be worth more than $4 billion a year.

I have been covering the white space industry for a while (read more)

In my opinion, this decision will create many companies/jobs and provide Internet access to the "Internet of Things". Sometimes called Physical World Connection or the "Internet of Things".



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The FCC's Considers Another Spectrum Auction For Free Internet......Disruption Ahead

Will 2008 could go down as the "The Year of Spectrum"?

Earlier this year the FCC held the 700 MHz Auction.

Last week Google's Larry Page went to Washington to push for broadband using White Spaces.

Now the FCC is pushing another spectrum auction for "free Internet".

What are the ramifications for free broadband in the US?

Outside of the US Economy and the consumer, what companies stand to benefit and what companies should be altering their businesses?

This would be a huge boost for America broadband users, but could it be disastrous for mobile players?

How far are we from free mobile service? How big is this for VoIP players?
Who would provide the triangulation services? (gps, lbs)

From Yahoo FCC Mulls High-Speed Internet Plan

Federal regulators may require the winner of airwaves being auctioned off by the government to provide free wireless high-speed Internet service across a large swath of the country.

The Federal Communications Commission at its June 12 meeting will likely vote on an order setting terms of the spectrum auction that could include the free Internet service provision. A similar proposal was rejected last year.

The resulting network must reach 50 percent of the population four years after the winner gets a license and then 95 percent after 10 years.

"We believe this is a good idea and demonstrates the FCC's commitment to supporting initiatives that have a positive impact on the next phase of broadband innovation. This will give consumers greater choices to access the Internet," said Chelsea Fallon, a FCC spokeswoman, in a statement.

From Washington Post FCC's Next Two Spectrum Auctions

The FCC is working on two more proposals. One would be re-auctioning the D-Block, which failed to sell in the last auction, and requires the buyer to set aside a portion of the spectrum for public safety. The FCC is also considering selling a swath of airwaves that would require the buyer to provide a free nationwide wireless broadband network.

From WSJ FCC Weighs Free Internet Plan

The Federal Communications Commission is considering a plan that would require the winner of a planned airwaves auction to offer free wireless-Internet service to most Americans within the next few years.

Supporters of the plan say it could help widen competition in a market dominated by wireless carriers, such as AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless.

Wireless companies generally oppose the FCC giving away spectrum, mostly because they have spent billions of dollars scooping up airwaves to provide phone and next-generation wireless data services.

Earlier this year, wireless companies spent upward of $20 billion to buy airwaves that will be left vacant in 2009, when the U.S. transitions to digital-only television broadcasts.

FCC Flunks Prototype Internet Device

What other emerging technologies could be used instead?

From Boston Globe FCC Rejects Net Device Service

The government gave a failing grade to a prototype device that Microsoft Corp., Google Inc., Dell Inc., and other technology companies said would beam high-speed Internet service over unused television airwaves.

n an 85-page report, the Federal Communications Commission said the devices submitted by the coalition could not reliably detect unused TV spectrum and could cause interference.

The FCC's chairman, Kevin Martin, on Tuesday said the agency still would like to find a way to transmit high-speed Internet service over the unused airwaves.

Edmond Thomas, who represents the coalition, said the companies are convinced the spectrum can be used without causing interference to TV and wireless signals

Do You Really Have Broadband?

From ARSTechnica Broadband isn't broadband unless it's 2Mbps

Saying that the FCC "has not kept pace with the times or the technology," Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) opened a hearing today into the FCC's methods for measuring broadband availability in the US.

The Broadband Census of America Act, currently in draft form, asks the FCC to increase its broadband threshold speed from 200Kbps to 2Mbps.

The most contentious of these was whether the government should mandate a definition for "high-speed Internet."

Larry Cohen, president of the Communication Workers of America, said that the US is "stuck with a twentieth century Internet" and that he would support increasing the "broadband" definition to 2Mbps

Right now, that definition includes any connection over 200Kbps, which Markey wants to boost more than 10 times. 2Mbps is faster than many current DSL links, so part of the reasoning behind this change appears to have a public relations focus—telecommunications companies will want to boost their offerings to over 2Mbps in order to avoid the stigma of not providing "true" broadband.