SENATORS TO PURSUE WIRELESS ALTERNATIVE FOR BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT

Senators said they would pursue legislation in 108th Congress that would accomplish goal of more unlicensed spectrum for broadband while staying within framework of Telecom Act of 1996. Working draft of bill was titled “Jumpstart Broadband Act.” Legislative proposal would require FCC to design “minimum rules of the road” for broadband devices to operate in unlicensed spectrum, letter said.

Letter said that widespread, high-speed broadband access was needed to energize nation’s economy and that current debate over deregulation had led to stalemate. “Unfortunately, much of the current debate in Congress over broadband services has focused on 2 platforms, cable and DSL, and whether we should support competition versus deregulation of telecommunications as best mechanism for encouraging deployment,” it said. “This debate has reached an unproductive stalemate and fails to consider that other technologies are available that can jump-start consumer- driven investment and demand in broadband services.” Letter cited Brookings Institution study that said widespread access to broadband could grow national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $500 billion annually by 2006.

Letter also touted Wi-Fi as means to deploy broadband to rural areas. “The emerging unlicensed wireless technologies can support the transmission of data at high speeds and at low costs,” it said. “This is especially compelling in rural areas where distance is so frequently the enemy of wireline networks and the primary reason for the high cost of rural broadband deployment.”

Working draft of bill said that within 180 days after measure was enacted FCC should devote 255 MHz of contiguous spectrum below 6 GHz for unlicensed use by wireless broadband while ensuring Defense Dept. devices and systems weren’t compromised. NTIA would have to establish standards for interference protections after consulting with affected agencies and parties, bill said. Within 270 days of enactment, FCC should adopt minimum technical and service rules to facilitate “robust and efficient” use of broadband devices, bill said. FCC should require that all broadband devices that operated in allocated spectrum be capable of: (1) “2-way data packet communications.” (2) Maximizing spectrum efficiency and minimize interference and power usage.

Development came as FCC Chmn. Powell recently announced more spectrum would become available for unlicensed uses. Recent FCC spectrum policy task force report cited the need for more unlicensed spectrum and Powell told Rep. Markey (D- Mass.) in letter that FCC would pursue steps to increase amount of available unlicensed spectrum (CD Nov 19 p5). Commission will begin rulemaking to identify specific frequency bands above and below 2 GHz that may be suitable for “frequency-agile” devices, Powell wrote. Markey had written to Powell in Oct. urging that more unlicensed spectrum be made available.

However, House Commerce Committee Chmn. Tauzin (R-La.) doesn’t view wireless networks as solution needed for broadband deployment, spokesman Ken Johnson said. “It does not solve the last-mile problem,” he said, because Wi-Fi is effective for only few hundred feet. Wi-Fi devices are good for home and office Internet usage, he said, but there still must be some form of connection to Internet. “It’s a piece of the puzzle,” Johnson said. “But the only way to solve the puzzle is to deregulate broadband services.” Tauzin sponsored legislation (HR-1542) that passed House that would have created deregulatory framework. CTIA said it had concerns about bill that could give unlicensed users rights equal to those who paid “millions or billions” for rights to spectrum. “Carriers who bought licenses have certain rights,” CTIA spokeswoman said. “Unlicensed users, who never paid a fee, shouldn’t have the same rights. What would the license be good for, otherwise?”

Cisco emerged as early supporter of bill. Jeff Campbell, Cisco senior technology policy counsel, said there were “all sorts of opportunities” possible come from increase in unlicensed spectrum. He said Wi-Fi could become effective way to deploy broadband to neighborhoods and, in near term, commercial usage would increase. Campbell also said that FCC process and legislative process would be “complementary.” “There are many people who are recognizing the value of unlicensed spectrum and they're working towards the same goal,” he said. Cisco manufactures Wi-Fi equipment, he said.