Wireless Broadband

Free muni-WiFi - Wireless Turkeys 2008

Phil Goldstein — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:48:40 -0500

Why is it a turkey?

It was supposed to be the next great broadband hope, but free muni-WiFi saw its major supporters shutter their operations in 2008. EarthLink and MetroFi shut down their networks after the cities they served didn't want to buy their networks outright and they didn't want to pay for any services.

What was the main lesson learned about muni-WiFi? Primarily, public access muni-WiFi is not the optimal business model. There wasn't an easy return on investment--at least in the near term. And the limitations of WiFi on a wide coverage basis made it difficult to offer a true broadband competitor to cable or DSL. In some areas such as Portland, residents were disappointed with the limitations of the network. Signals couldn't penetrate indoors and service was sparse throughout the city.

WiFi is now much more of a broadband extension, not a broadband alternative. Providers of broadband services and fixed-mobile converged services are accepting WiFi as a key part of their solutions.

Yet, muni-WiFi is reinventing itself in many cities where network operators are working with more sensible business models that include local government anchor tenants and/or a few other high-user tenants such as colleges and medical campuses. One of the common threads weaved through the successful deployments in many cities is that they have committed to using the WiFi networks for their own purposes whether it be to provide remote access for automate meter reading, control traffic congestion or public safety.

Ultra Wideband - Wireless Turkeys 2008

Phil Goldstein — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:40:34 -0500

Why is it a turkey?

Ultra Wideband was supposed to replace those tangled messes of cables that link PCs to printers, monitors, keyboards and other peripherals as well as show up inside mobile phones, cameras and printers to deliver wireless broadband at speeds up to 480 Mbps for distances up to 3 meters and 110 mbps at 10 meters. Seemingly in perpetual development, UWB won't be coming to a retailer near you in a big way as expected this year.

In fact, UWB's promise is more of a dream now that UWB chip maker WiQuest went out of business at the end of October. And few chipmakers, such as Intel, are emphasizing the technology. Alereon, which recently announced it would acquire the USB assets of Stonestreet One, appears to be the only chipmaker dedicated to making a product.

The FCC gave its blessing to the UWB back in 2002, but to date, Toshiba and Lenovo are the only manufacturers offering wireless USB, a UWB-enabled version of the standard USB technology found in PCs today.

What will a new FCC look like?

Lynnette Luna — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:23:49 -0500

Chalk one up for FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. He managed to cross some high-profile initiatives off his to-do list before his tenure as chairman is likely up once President-elect Barack Obama takes office.

Back in August, it was looking doubtful that the commission was going to rule on a number of key issues that impact the future of broadband wireless. Yet earlier this month Martin and company approved the use of white-space devices for super-WiFi services amid a flurry of lobbying both for and against the initiative. It okayed the New Clearwire deal, which involves Sprint pooling its WiMAX assets with Clearwire with the help of millions from Intel, Google and cable operators to roll out a nationwide mobile broadband network. And it approved Verizon Wireless' $28.1-billion proposed buyout of Alltel to create the nation's largest operator.

The other major wireless initiatives left on the table are the auction of spectrum in the AWS-3 band and a re-auction of the 700 MHz D-block. The AWS-3 auction would require the licensee to dedicate 25 percent of its network capacity to free broadband service, install a network-based Internet filtering system to block pornography and allow open access to third-party devices and applications. Again, the commission is facing some stiff opposition to the plan from operators such as T-Mobile that worry about interference with the AWS-1 band, but the FCC's own engineering studies show that AWS-3 and AWS-1 networks can safely co-exist.

Will Martin be able to stay to see them through? Martin has hinted to the fact that he may stay on at least through the digital TV transition in February. Whether he stays permanently or retains his chairmanship is of course questionable now that Democrat President-elect Barack Obama is taking office. However, it didn't seem like Martin did all that much to anger Democrats. In fact, Democrats generally support his AWS-3 auction plan and the idea of wireless broadband bridging that pesky Digital Divide. He also recently sided with Democratic FCC commissioners to eke out a 3-2 vote to punish cable TV giant Comcast for blocking file-sharing traffic.

Yet, President-elect Obama's campaign was based on change, and change is what the FCC will likely get. Right now a host of names are floating around as potential successors and commissioners. And if the FCC sees a major shake-up you can guarantee an industry shake-up, and incumbent operators will be fighting about more than just whether proposed wireless broadband initiatives interfere with their operations. Everything from revisiting the spectrum cap to stricter merger scrutiny to forced open access among all operators could be on the table, according to industry pundits. And you thought white spaces and a free broadband plans were radical. --Lynnette

Feature: Embedded device vendors focus on laptops

Jim Barthold — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:57:04 -0500

Carriers may envision all types of devices and appliances being embedded with wireless connectivity but vendors don't necessary share that view.

Mobile carriers might drool at the prospect of linking their subscribers to their networks by embedding technology into every device from a cell phone to a refrigerator, but the vendors that build the devices see things a little differently. Not every device needs embedded wide area network connectivity or even mobility: WiFi might just do the trick for a lot of non-commercial devices--at least for the start.

"I don't think we're going to be looking at this so much in the consumer space...maybe your car (with GSM) but I'm not sure your home appliances," said Kyp Walls, director of product management at Panasonic Computer Solutions Company.

Panasonic laptops connect to the mobile network. This field has been plowed already by PC cards and USB dongles but new software flexibility makes it possible to plant the software into the devices themselves for enterprise and government customers with a "need to connect everywhere" who find mobile connectivity is "a little addictive; you feel like if you didn't have connectivity in the taxi and airport and everywhere else you couldn't do your job," he said.

Qualcomm's Gobi initiative, which lets IT managers provide global mobile connectivity by using devices that can be reconfigured in the field to support mobile operators and mobile broadband technologies including EVDO and UMTS, is a big reason the software can move from external to internal.

Gobi's customer list includes computer makers Acer, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Lenovo and Panasonic along with all the major carriers.

"That used to be a barrier for people to adopt an embedded solution because they couldn't commit to a particular carrier. Gobi absolutely eliminates that barrier for embedded wireless technology," Walls said.

Another way to enable network interconnectivity is to use a company such as Jasper Wireless which has "created an MVNO look-alike where they're independent of carriers," said Arun Bhikshevsvaran, CTO and vice president of North American strategy for Ericsson.

Since Ericsson embeds mobile modules into laptops now and it plans to move to other consumer electronics in the future. But having an open network makes it easier to focus on building and certifying cross-platform modules.

"If I certify the module for Lenovo and AT&T, the same module goes into a Dell computer or an Apple computer. As far as network connectivity, the network is turned on to the same exact module" and that module, thanks to someone like Jasper, can operate across different networks, Bhikshevsvaran said.

Interconnectivity is why Jasper exists, said Cindy Patterson, executive vice president of sales and marketing, at Jasper Wireless "Jasper built its system from the ground up just to serve connected devices [with] provisioning systems, billing systems and diagnostic systems that are all part of our software.

"It's software that makes it so that someone doesn't need to understand wireless. They don't need to understand the underlying network that the device is using; they just have to look at the user interface and the direction they want to go," she said.

As an example, a medical service could equip patients with wireless monitoring equipment that "turns on and just works out of the box," she said.

This type of application crosses between mobile wide area networks and portable fixed area networks and the devices can do the same.

"A whole class of devices can benefit and change with the addition of WiFi," said Lisa Payne, vice president of marketing for G2, a company that builds "low-end" integrated WiFi chips.

WiFi can handle home-based applications ranging from so-called smart refrigerators to energy-efficient applications. The available-everywhere applications can be handled using embedded mobile technology, she suggested.

The greater number of embedded devices might, therefore, start as WiFi-enabled and as necessary move outside the home using 3G or 4G wide-area networks. For now, the big push in embedded devices is to place the technology inside the laptop which is probably already equipped with WiFi and could be equipped with yet another wireless technology, WiMAX.

Lenovo hedged its wireless bets by becoming one of the first laptop makers to comply with Sprint's Xohm network in Baltimore, specifically because "WiMAX fits right alongside WiFi or 3G broadband, Bluetooth and even ultra-wideband," said David Critchley, worldwide segment manager for Lenovo ThinkPads. "We always try to be one of the first to the market when new communications technologies are available."

For Panasonic, 3G, especially with Gobi, is the way to go.

"Gobi is making it much easier to convince customers that they should get the radio right up front because they don't have to make a [carrier] choice," Walls said. "We put a piece of software on there with a Gobi radio...and tell the radio and the machine which network they want to communicate on. They don't have to decide beforehand if they're going to use AT&T, Sprint or Verizon."

While other embedded devices will quickly follow, laptop connectivity is driving today's market and those laptops will first focus on business customers then migrate to more casual users.

"We're in process with many operators around the world now...that are going to come to market with our software," said Jasper's Patterson. "Some of them love our software for their business channel and also feel that's a way to get a lot of consumer electronics to market. There's going to be a mix of B2B devices and consumer devices. We definitely see a split between both."

White spaces decision will haunt the FCC

Andrew M. Seybold — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:25:37 -0500

The FCC commissioners gave Google, Microsoft and others a "big" win Tuesday when it authorized unlicensed use of TV white space in the United States. I want to go on record here to say that this decision will come back to haunt the FCC--present and future--as thousands of people find their ability to watch TV has been compromised and their ability to hear what is happening at concerts has been interrupted by interference caused by these new white space "smart" devices that will be used to provide broadband data access.

According to the FCC, any device that is to be used for unlicensed white space spectrum will have to undergo a "rigorous certification process" before it is authorized. I would like to remind anyone who may not remember that Nextel got the go-ahead from the FCC before it started deploying its faux-cellular system. This system has since caused a lot of interference to public safety and business radio systems and is causing Sprint Nextel to spend billions of dollars to "reband" the spectrum to eliminate the interference it has caused.

This interference occurred in spite of the fact that public safety radios are built to a very high standard and are designed to reject interference. TV receivers, on the other hand, are not designed to handle adjacent channel interference, which is the reason the FCC has never assigned TV channel frequencies next to each other in the same city. There are some built-in frequency gaps in the assignments, so it may appear as though there are some sequential channels in some areas, but the FCC determined a long time ago that permitting TV channels on adjacent spectrum would cause an interference problem for TV receivers and would adversely affect the TV viewing experience.

Yet the FCC, which seems to have become a political rather than technical organization, has approved the use of TV white space spectrum for unlicensed broadband services regardless of the fact that much of this white space is already being used by police, fire and business two-way radio customers on a shared basis, and that wireless microphones use TV white space on a daily basis. This has worked so far because two-way radio systems, like TV stations, are licensed. If there is an interference problem, those who are using the spectrum can be identified. In the case of this new use of TV white space for unlicensed broadband, there is no such protection. Unlicensed users are not required to register their location, and if they cause interference to their own or their neighbors' TV sets, they probably won't realize they are the culprits and will complain to the TV station, the vendor that sold them their TV, or perhaps even the FCC, which will simply respond that it has trimmed its field force and doesn't have anyone to look into the problem or trace the source of the interference.

Those selling this equipment will, of course, deny that their products are causing the problem, and those who pushed the FCC into making this decision will claim the equipment vendors are the ones at fault, not their lack of understanding of the issues of interference. I think this decision will end up creating a major problem for both the vendors of unlicensed equipment and those consumers who simply want to watch TV.

In spite of those who cautioned against moving forward with this ruling, and there were many besides the broadcasters, the FCC commissioners decided to cave into the likes of Google and Microsoft. Both are companies without any real expertise in the area of wireless broadband and they seem to believe that wireless is just like wired. The problem with this is that it isn't! Interference is a fact of life for wireless networks but it can be managed when it can be identified. When it is caused by unlicensed users, there is no way to control it--just ask those who still try to use the Citizens' band, a band the FCC lost control over and abandoned years ago.

Andrew Seybold is an authority on technology and trends shaping the world of wireless mobility. A respected analyst, consultant, commentator, author and active participant in industry trade organizations, his views have influenced strategies and shaped initiatives for telecom, mobile computing and wireless industry leaders worldwide.

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And... Check out our Sound Off featuring industry players debating the white space decision

Leap loses money despite customer gains

Jim Barthold — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:13:41 -0500

The cost of building out broadband wireless infrastructure is proving to be a heavy burden for Leap Wireless which reported a loss of $48.8 million or 72 cents per share in the third quarter. On a positive note, some analysts saw the carrier losing as much as 57 cents per share. Here's a breakdown of the other key metrics for the quarter:

Revenues: Leap reported 21 percent improvement in revenues which rose to $496.7 million from $409.7 million a year ago. This, too, fell short of analyst expectations of $509.4 million.

Customers: Leap added 156,000 customers in the quarter, mostly for voice services, bringing its total base to 3.5 customers or 800,000 more than a year ago including 40,000 new broadband subscribers. But those broadband customers didn't come cheap. Leap said it lost $49.4 million in operating income to launch new markets and expand mobile broadband service, including its Cricket Wireless Internet service.

Churn: Third quarter churn was 4.2 percent, an improvement from 5.2 percent in the same period last year.

ARPU: Average revenue per user declined 3.5 percent from the prior year to $42.95.

For more:
- see this article
- see this press release

Related stories:
Leap offers mobile video for $5 per month
Leap Wireless details aggressive plans for broadband

SMBs leading the charge to mobile broadband

Jim Barthold — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:56:36 -0500

In something of a surprise, small-medium businesses (SMBs), not deep-pocketed enterprises, are driving mobile broadband adoption.

An ABI Research study, "United States Mobile Business Customer Profiles," indicated that the bigger corporate enterprises are less flexible when it comes to adopting new technology. Smaller businesses, the report concludes, can implement new technology like 3G broadband data more quickly because they can get the equipment off-the-shelves from commercial outlets.

The mobile broadband market is, of course, still in its infancy with access methods ranging from USB modems in laptops to embedded devices to ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPCs) and mobile Internet devices (MIDs) and, of course, smartphones. There is also some confusion as to what network to use since 3G is not ubiquitous--and speeds decrease painfully when a user leaves a 3G cell--and, with the new Clearwire now a reality WiMAX is becoming a viable option. Finally, some users are waiting for LTE to arrive several years from now.

For more:
- see this article

Related stories:
Wireless carriers open the network to embedded devices
AT&T, Lenovo & Ericsson Break New Ground with New Embedded Laptop Pricing

17. John Muleta, CEO, Co-Founder, M2Z Networks

Phil Goldstein — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:57:26 -0400

What makes him powerful: As the former head of the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, John Muleta has an intricate knowledge of how spectrum is allocated and managed. During his time with the FCC, Muleta was responsible for implementing the Commission's policies regarding consumer wireless services and public safety radio networks.

So it probably comes as no surprise that after ending his term at the FCC, Muleta became an advocate for free, nationwide wireless broadband service. Together with his partner Milo Medin, Muleta founded M2Z Networks in 2005 and in 2006. M2Z asked the FCC for 25 megahertz of vacant spectrum in the 2155 MHz to 2175 MHz band to offer free wireless broadband service. The plan was to repay the FCC for the license by offering the government a cut of revenues. The FCC dismissed M2Z's request because of the fact it couldn't give away the spectrum, but M2Z spent the next two years lobbying the FCC and working with potential partners to prove that such a business model could work.

The commission has instead proposed to combine the 2155 to 2175 MHz band with the 2175 MHz to 2180 MHz band to create a 25-megahertz swath of spectrum that would support a nationwide license. The spectrum is referred to as advanced wireless services-3, or AWS-3, and the licensee of this band would be required to use up to 25 percent of its network capacity for free, two-way broadband service at data rates of at least 768 kbps downstream.

But not everyone likes this plan--namely operators such as T-Mobile USA which is currently deploying its UMTS/HSPA service in the AWS spectrum and says that devices deployed in the AWS-3 spectrum will interfere. In fact, T-Mobile said the recent tests conducted by the FCC showed there would be "widespread and prevalent" interference. Muleta fired back that the test was "rigged," and conducted under such narrow parameters that even T-Mobile's own WiFi hotspots would interfere with the network.

Just last week the FCC's Office of Engineering tentatively concluded that services operating in the proposed AWS-3 band can co-exist with T-Mobile's WCDMA network that uses the adjacent AWS-1 band "without a significant risk of harmful interference." This latest report by the FCC bodes well for Muleta and M2Z proving that Muleta's powerful maneuvering has paid off.

Would You Bid on This Spectrum?

Andrew M. Seybold — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:39:38 -0400

You have decided to bid on 10 MHz (5X5) of the 700 MHz spectrum. For $5 million a year, you can gain another 12 MHz (6X6) of adjacent spectrum. The only caveat is that the first responder community will have priority on this additional spectrum. On the other hand, the first responders will be paying customers.

To win this spectrum, you have to take part in one, two, or three auctions at the same time. You can bid on the entire block as a single license (reserve price is $750 million) and if you win, you get to determine the technology you will use on the spectrum.

You can also bid in two other auctions. The first regional auction for 58 licenses is for those who will use LTE (Long Term Evolution) and the second regional auction for 58 licenses is for those who will use WiMAX. If enough regional licenses are bid on at auction, the FCC will go with regional licenses for either LTE or WiMAX, depending on which one has the greatest numbers.

However, if a bid for the nationwide license meets or exceeds the $750 million reserve price, that bidder wins the single nationwide license. The winning bidder must agree to build out a combination public/private system with priority use for the first responder community and has 15 years to build it out to cover 95 percent to 98 percent of the total population, and to pay the Public Safety Spectrum Trust $5 million a year for using its spectrum when it is available.

If you have been following this debacle, you know that some agencies including the NYPD have stated they have no interest in using this system once it is built, so the winning bidder will have a full 24 MHz of spectrum in New York City and anywhere else first responders opt out.

The public safety community will not have a fully interoperable broadband network on 700 MHz that covers most of the nation anytime soon. With up to 15 years to build the system out to the 95 percent to 98 percent requirements, the network operator can cherry pick and build out only cities where there is a demand for wireless broadband services then fill in as necessary when the deadline draws near.

The FCC's Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is a 212 page document and in it are great ideas for high-speed data, voice and video. Also buried in the document is a table on page 170 that states the various data rates the FCC believes are required: 20-384 Kbps for indoor video and 32-384 Kbps for outdoor video. All of the data speeds cited in this table were exceeded long ago by the current 2.5G and 3G wireless broadband networks. Who knows what the broadband data speeds and capacity of this type of network will be 15 years from now?

On page 188 there is a chart showing the FCC's "guess" of the associated relocation costs by region (click here to see the chart). Yes, once you own the spectrum you have to pay to relocate the public safety systems already using the spectrum for voice operations. The total cost of this reallocation is estimated at just under $27 million and appears to be a real guess.

Another issue I have is that "first responders" are so narrowly defined as to preclude priority access for highway departments that manage the roads during evacuations, power companies that turn power off so emergency workers can work safely as well as many other secondary responders.

There are all kinds of buried items in this document and there is only a 30-day window for comments. The FCC hopes to complete a Report and Order before the end of the year so the spectrum can go back out to bid in the spring. However, I believe that once the administration changes in January the FCC will change. Who knows, there might even be some logic applied to the sharing of this spectrum.

In its haste to complete a new Report and Order, I believe the FCC is coming up with rules that are so convoluted that the result will be yet another failed attempt to auction this spectrum so work can begin on the network that is needed by the first responders. I hope the next version of the FCC takes a little more time and uses a little more common sense before putting this spectrum back on the block.

GSMA-backed group initiates mobile broadband campaign

Sue Marek — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:15:30 -0400

On the eve of the WiMAX World conference in Chicago, the GSMA, along with 17 mobile carriers and vendors including Qualcomm, Vodafone, Microsoft and Orange, today announced an initiative to promote the use of notebook PCs pre-installed with HSPA mobile broadband technology. Specifically, the group said they will spend about $1 billion to get a graphic service mark that says "mobile broadband" attached to HSPA-enabled notebook computers with the goal of making customers aware of which laptops have the technology.

During an interview with FierceWireless, Michael O'Hara, chief marketing officer of the GSMA, said that although no U.S. GSM operators are named in the press release, the group does believe it will have a big impact on the U.S. market. "We have a working group the represents major operators from across the world that are working on this initiative," O'Hara said.

However, Ovum Research analyst Steven Hartley questioned the need for such an initiative. In a research note, Hartley said, "Mobile broadband uptake is already growing rapidly without it. It could be argued that any promotion is better than nothing, but it looks a lot like the initiative is designed as a defense move against WiMAX branding."

For more:
- see this press release

Related articles:
T-Mobile Germany to offer laptops with upcoming HSDPA roll out
Orange subsidizes HSDPA-embedded notebook from HP

AWS-3 spectrum debate festers

Sue Marek — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:49:43 -0400

The debate over whether the FCC should forge ahead with its plans to create a 25-megahertz swath of spectrum, known as AWS-3, is still festering. Proponent M2Z Networks issued a press release today saying that the FCC's interference testing has confirmed that any proposed wireless broadband service in this spectrum would not cause interference with company's offering service on adjacent bands.

The FCC has said that this AWS-3 spectrum would support a nationwide license and the agency would require the licensee to dedicate 25 percent of its network capacity to free broadband service, install a network-based Internet filtering system to block pornography and allow open access to third-party devices and applications. M2Z Networks, of course, has been a proponent of this plan. And T-Mobile USA, which is deploying its UMTS service in the AWS spectrum, is a vocal opponent.

M2Z says that the recent testing conducted by the FCC in Seattle demonstrated that AWS-3 handsets could operate safely at the commission's standard power limit of +33 dBm. And that the testing validated previous tests which found that TDD and FDD could coexist using an out-of-band emission limit of 49+ 10 log (P).

Of course, the industry is still awaiting final word from the FCC regarding this testing. So far, it hasn't weighed in with any results leaving parties on both sides of the debate to make their own interpretations.

For more:
- see this press release

Related articles:
M2Z asks FCC to reject more AWS-3 interference tests
T-Mobile takes M2Z to task over AWS-3 auction arguments

NYC cabs get Sprint mobile payment service

Phil Goldstein — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:50:36 -0400

Sprint Nextel has started outfitting New York City cabs with real-time payment systems for credit cards, using its data services through its EVDO Rev. A network and Sprint Data Link.

The operation, done in partnership with VeriFone's U.S.-based taxi business, VeriFone Transportation Systems (VTS), has put the technology in 6,600 of New York's famous yellow taxis so far and allows users, through a 10.4 inch touch screen, to swipe their credit card or use a "tap and go" contactless system. It also features Reuter's Business news and GPS system to allow users to find items they left in the cab. The plan is to roll out the system to Chicago, Las Vegas and Philadelphia, in a bid for Sprint to find a new niche as it struggles for market share with Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobile and T-Mobile USA.

For more:
- see this article

Related Article:
AT&T: Mobile payments, past the hype

FCC heads to Seattle to test AWS-3 spectrum interference

Sue Marek — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:10:51 -0400

FCC engineers will travel to Seattle next week to conduct tests to see whether offering free broadband service on 25 percent of the AWS-3 spectrum will cause interference with T-Mobile's UMTS network that is currently being deployed in the AWS-1 spectrum band. FCC engineers will use some of T-Mobile's equipment to conduct interference tests, but they will set their own testing parameters.

The FCC wants to create a 25-megahertz swath of spectrum, known as AWS-3, that would support a nationwide license. The agency would require the licensee to dedicate 25 percent of its network capacity to free broadband service, install a network-based Internet filtering system to block pornography and allow open access to third-party devices and applications.

T-Mobile is opposed to the plan because it operates on an adjacent swath of spectrum and its engineers say that Internet traffic in neighboring airwaves will cause dropped connections for T-Mobile customers.

For more:
- See this article

Related articles:
M2Z: T-Mobile's interference argument over AWS-3 spectrum flawed
M2Z asks FCC to reject more AWS-3 interference tests
T-Mobile takes M2Z to task over AWS-3 auction arguments

Are Kevin Martin's wireless broadband dreams in peril?

Lynnette Luna — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:56:45 -0400

In the coming months, the FCC has some decisions to make that will impact the future of wireless broadband--a subject that is near and dear to Chairman Kevin Martin's heart as he'd like to see wireless broadband bridge connectivity for the country's have-nots.

Next month, the commission is expected to take up the growing debate over white-space spectrum, that unused TV spectrum that advocates such as Google and Microsoft want used on an unlicensed basis for super-WiFi services. Martin likes the idea, but the FCC faces heavy lobbying pressure from the National Association of Broadcasters and wireless microphone users such as the NFL that fear interference. Recently completed field tests haven't revealed any clear answers over the interference debate.

The FCC also is looking to auction spectrum in the AWS-3 band that would require the licensee to dedicate 25 percent of its network capacity to free broadband service, install a network-based Internet filtering system to block pornography and allow open access to third-party devices and applications. Again, the commission is facing some stiff opposition to the plan from operators such as T-Mobile that worry about interference with the AWS-1 band and Republicans who think crafting such rules would create another 700 MHz D-block debacle.

And the commission is considering the New Clearwire deal, which involves Sprint pooling its WiMAX assets with Clearwire with the help of millions from Intel, Google and cable operators. That plan is also coming under fire from AT&T, which is accusing the stakeholders of providing inconsistent details on how much usable spectrum the new entity will have and reiterated that it wants the FCC to scrutinize the deal like it would other carrier deals.

The question is, can the FCC effectively tackle these decisions before a new administration and Congress comes onto the scene in 2009? The commission is supposed to rule on the New Clearwire deal before the end of the year, but Martin has said the auction will probably not move forward this year because of the intense controversy over the plan. The white-space controversy seems far from resolved as there doesn't seem to be a clear answer over whether these devices cause interference or not. So it's unlikely the commission will come to a consensus on that before the end of the year.

What does that mean for the wireless broadband dream? Will it be stuck in limbo? Some of the nation's operators that don't want to see new competition, appear to be making sure that they continue to cloud the issues until 2009, when these initiatives will perhaps be taken up by a new FCC. Will Martin's dreams be for naught? --Lynnette

Life becoming difficult for rural operators

Lynnette Luna — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 01:27:12 -0400

Times are getting tough for the rural operator community. Within the last few months the Rural Carrier Association (RCA) and the Rural Telecommunications Group (RTG) have run to the FCC asking it tackle issues that would help the survival of these group of operators. As the country's nationwide operators get bigger, their ability to effectively compete in the markets they serve becomes more and more difficult. Rural operators are no longer making a nice revenue from roaming as larger operators increase their coverage and encroach on the areas of rural operators. Rural operators now find themselves competing with large operators that have more resources and better economies of scale.

RCA recently asked the FCC to deny the proposed merger between Clearwire and Sprint Nextel's WiMAX business. The RCA said that under "these unique circumstances there is a manifest need for the commission to recognize the impact of both transactions upon consumers and act to promote carrier-to-carrier network interoperability, including automatic roaming for voice and data, notably for wireless broadband services."

Earlier this month, the RTG, whose members include independent mobile carriers, petitioned the FCC asking that it impose a spectrum cap to curb the growing market presence of Tier One operators Verizon Wireless and AT&T. The RTG says that without a spectrum cap, Verizon and AT&T's growth will adversely impact rural operators.

In May, the RCA asked the FCC to investigate and adopt rules, if necessary, to stop operators from negotiating exclusive handset deals with manufacturers. The RCA says that this arrangement is unfair, decreases competition and violates the Communications Act. The association says that these types of deals make it impossible for many consumers, particularly those in rural areas, to get some of the best-selling handsets such as AT&T's iPhone and Verizon's LG Voyager. The RCA listed more than 50 handsets that are exclusive to the top five U.S. operators.

Can and should rural operators rely on the FCC to help them become more competitive? I don't believe the FCC will be denying mergers or lifting spectrum caps to satisfy the needs of rural operators. On the other hand, the FCC is keen on seeing a third party come in to bridge the digital divide in the broadband world, which is why it is pushing the idea of the AWS-3 auction that would require the winning bidder to provide free broadband service alongside paid service. Perhaps the rural operator community should band together and make their relevance known to the FCC in accomplishing such a goal. And with operators such as Verizon and AT&T looking to roll out LTE in the 700 MHz, couldn't rural operators play a roll in helping to expand coverage?

The proposition Cyren Call Chairman Morgan O'Brien offered to rural operators in May is interesting. During their annual convention, he urged these operators to band together and bid on the D-block 700 MHz band the FCC wants to re-auction. O'Brien said rural operators would gain by being able to offer advanced services to their end users, serving a new customer base via public safety, bypassing roaming deals with big operators and competing better against nationwide operators.

Earlier this year, the FCC's auction failed to raise the $1.3 billion reserve price for the D Block of spectrum, which was set aside for a public-private network that would solve public safety interoperability problems nationwide. Cyren call is the Public Safety Spectrum Trust's adviser. The PSST is an organization chosen by the FCC to serve as the national public-safety licensee for 700 MHz broadband services. Cyren Call was tapped to settle the commercial/public-safety details.

I'd hate to see the rural operator community become irrelevant, which is why it needs to get creative to keep that from happening and not rely solely on the FCC to ensure their survival. --Lynnette

T-Mobile pressures FCC to reconsider free wireless Internet plan

Sue Marek — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:47:15 -0400

T-Mobile USA sent one of its top executives to Washington, D.C. to plead with the FCC to reconsider its controversial plan to auction a nationwide block of spectrum that would require a licensee to offer free broadband services. On Thursday, T-Mobile's CTO flew to D.C. to meet with the FCC on its proposal. "We're asking the FCC essentially to slow down and give the industry some time to do some testing," said T-Mobile Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Cole Brodman.

T-Mobile argues that Internet activity on the AWS-3 band would interfere with its own wireless services. The company paid nearly $4.2 billion in the AWS spectrum auction and it plans to use this spectrum to roll out UMTS in 26 markets by year-end.

The commission is proposing to combine the 2155 to 2175 MHz band with the 2175 MHz to 2180 MHz band to create a 25-megahertz swathe of spectrum that would support a nationwide license. The spectrum is referred to as advanced wireless services-3 and would require the licensee to dedicate 25 percent of its network capacity to free broadband service, install a network-based Internet filtering system to block pornography and allow open access to third-party devices and applications.

A delay on the proposal for the AWS-3 spectrum auction is likely. Last week FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said that the sale of this spectrum could be put off until early next year. This is bad news for M2Z Networks, which originally proposed the plan. The company is anxious to move ahead with the auction since it is currently subsisting on venture capital.

For more:
- see this article

Related articles:
T-Mobile calls for delay of FCC's free wireless broadband initiative
Andrew Seybold- A New Wireless Opportunity!
Interview with M2Z: Free wireless broadband can work. M2Z interview
FCC looks to fast-track free wireless broadband network initiative. Wireless broadband story

Aircell chooses LTE for in-flight broadband

Sue Marek — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:49:15 -0400

Air-to-ground satellite Internet provider Aircell will deploy LTE for its next-generation inflight broadband service. The company said that deploying LTE will help it offer such capabilities as high-definition and interactive TV and multi-player gaming.

Aircell currently offers an inflight wireless broadband service called Gogo that uses an exclusive FCC frequency license and CDMA EV-DO Rev. A technology to deliver data rates of more than 12 Mbps to Gogo-equipped aircrafts. The service costs $12.95 for cross-country flights and $9.95 for flights that last three hours or less. Aircell customers include Virgin America and American Airlines.

For more:
- see this Aircell press release

Related stories:
Aircell reveals more details on air-to-ground service
AirCell: Fierce 15 Winner

Chairman Martin still wants free wireless broadband

Sue Marek — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:41:36 -0400

FCC Chairman Martin is still committed to his plan for free wireless broadband access. Martin removed from tomorrow's FCC meeting agenda his proposed auction of 25 megahertz of unused wireless spectrum that would require the winning bidder to offer free broadband service, but now he says he wants to pursue this plan in July. Speaking at a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Telecommunications Subcommittee yesterday, Martin said that "traditional industry players" have opposed his idea because they want to reserve this spectrum for mobile video services.

Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) asked Martin to postpone the plan, saying that placing conditions on airwave auctions hasn't been successful in the past. However, Martin says he wants to move ahead with the idea in July if he can get support from the majority of the commission.

For more:
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)

Related stories:
FCC delays decision on free wireless broadband network
FCC mulls another spectrum auction. Read this spectrum auction story
Will a spectrum auction requiring free broadband services work? Read this spectrum auction editorial

FCC delays auction decision

Sue Marek — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:14:02 -0400

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has decided to remove the planned discussion regarding a potential auction of 25 megahertz of unused wireless spectrum from the June 12 meeting agenda. This auction would include 25 megahertz in the 2155 MHz to 2180 MHz band and would require the winning bidder to offer free broadband service under a strict build-out schedule.

Martin says he removed the proposal from the agenda because he wanted to look into concerns raised by some wireless carriers. The CTIA yesterday criticized the FCC in a filing saying that the proposal "upends two decades of spectrum policy in favor of a specifically tailored auction designed to advance the particular business model of a single company."

The FCC's plan was similar to what M2Z Networks proposed back in 2006. The company asked the FCC for 25 megahertz of vacant spectrum in the 2155 MHz to 2175 MHz band to offer free wireless broadband service. The FCC subsequently dismissed M2Z's request. More recently, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) introduced new legislation, known as the Wireless International Nationwide for Families Act, that would direct the FCC to auction unused spectrum, the 2155 MHz to 2180MHz band, and require the winner to offer a free wireless broadband network that reaches 95 percent of the U.S. population within 10 years.

For more:
- see this Silicon Alley Insider report
- read this IDG news service report

Related stories:
FCC mulls another spectrum auction. Read this spectrum auction story.
Will a spectrum auction requiring free broadband services work? Read this spectrum auction editorial

Report: Wireless broadband to have major impact on GDP

Lynnette Luna — Thu, 29 May 2008 11:05:52 -0400

New research from Ovum and commissioned by CTIA says that the continued adoption of wireless broadband technologies will have a significant positive impact on the U.S. economy. Because of the productivity advantages that Internet-on-the-go provides, wireless broadband is expected to generate some $860 billion in additional gross domestic product within the next 10 years. The report says that 25 percent of businesses took advantage of wireless broadband in 2005. That number is anticipated to increase to 83 percent in 2016. Ovum outlines six business areas where wireless broadband will have a major impact. See them here.