FCC on Ultra-Wideband, DSL Services

ibirman writes: "According to Yahoo, the FCC has approved limited use of Ultrawideband (UWB) technology above 3.1 gigahertz. The article states that Sprint PCS among others has been campaigning to keep the minimum above 6 gigahertz claiming "interference". From what I have read, interference is not an issue, so I wonder what their real agenda is? Funny that the article does not mention that UWB could revolutinize high speed wireless networking." There's a Newsbytes story that decribes an upcoming ruling on DSL providers, which would exempt DSL carriers from the open-access requirements in place for most telephone services. There are a few links to statements on the front page of fcc.gov, but I don't see the actual orders for either of these yet.

Comments

DSL requires a phone

[Anonymous Coward]

And the phone companies can simply go fuck themselves.

You think Microsoft is bad. Call up Quest or Verizon. Or better yet, have them sell your information to anybody they want and get phone calls claiming to represent the phone company trying to sell you "$5,000 of free gasoline"!

The phone companies are evil and the sooner we can rid ourselves of them, the better.

What the hell is the FCC Thinking?

[bourne]

"Should the FCC reclassify digital subscriber lines (DSL) as an information service as opposed to a traditional wire-line service, it could effectively loosen federal rules that require Bell companies and other incumbent carriers to offer their competitors equal access to the telecommunications networks they control."

What the hell? After the Bells displayed their ability to cut of CLECs like they were batting down baby seals within the existing rules?

What world is the FCC living in?

Re:What the hell is the FCC Thinking?

[MadAhab]

No kidding. It's like watching someone get kneecapped by gangsters and concluding that the local economy must have lots of healthy competition. The reality, of course, is that having bent the rules to within an inch of their lives in order to better kneecap the competition, the bells have basically been told they can use a gun instead.

I can't believe that Powell knows ANYTHING about the state of broadband in the US; this basically grants the commercial monopoly to the Bells, and the residential monopoly to the cable co's. This will make broadband more expensive and slow its expansion into new areas. He better be following this up with something else (like feds mandating coverage areas) or this is a prescription for failure.

Re:What the hell is the FCC Thinking?

[Wesley Felter]

Those wires were put in the ground by RBOCs who had government-granted monpolies. The RBOCs can't get a monopoly and escape regulation at the same time.

RFI

[Detritus]

There are many users of the RF spectrum that don't fall into the category of "evil corporation". As an amateur radio licensee, I'm very concerned that widespread and unregulated use of UWB technology would further pollute the amateur radio bands with noise and interference. Cheaply made consumer electronics equipment, light dimmers, poorly maintained power lines and other "unintentional radiators" are a major source of interference in many places. That includes all of you people who run your computer with the case open.