Providing 802.11 Access Across State Lines?

kmleon asks: "Where can I find decent information on how to provide wireless internet service using an unlicensed technology (such as the 802.11 variants) across a state border? There are a few hundred people in this rural area that are desperate to use our service since no one else can give them broadband, but I have no idea how to offer that without knowing if we'd be getting in trouble with who knows how many government agencies. Anyone had any experience with doing this? The problem is that all our backbone is on one side of the border, with just strong enough of a signal to give service about 2-5 miles on the other side of the border. Is it just as simple as registering the business in both states? Which agency (FCC, FTC, or other someone else) could I contact for help? None of their websites have provided me with any helpful information. Thanks for any useful input."

Comments

what you need

[sydlexic]

is a little walking around money to grease the skids with the local stuffed shirts. nothing says democracy, law and order better than a few greenbacks.

Like you said

[Anonymous Coward]

It's unlicensed. As long as you don't violate the power specs, you'll be fine on that front. The FCC is a federal agency, and I don't know of any states that have added extra regulation. Just setup your business in the state you'll be transmitting from/connecting to the rest of the internet, and be on your way.

IANAL, but...

[Rick the Red]

If the issue here is "crossing state lines" then two points:
1) The FCC already took care of the radio issue (as AC pointed out above). Even transmissions send and recieved within a single state fall under the "interstate commerce" clause of the Constitution, and thus under the FCC's jurisdiction.
2) Business licenses and taxes are another issue. You may need a business license, and you many need to pay sales or other taxes, in your customer's state. Seek local advice. There may be government agencies who provide free help to small businesses with just these issues -- ask.

See FCC regs

[mbstone]

The FCC regulates radio frequency transmissions, states and localities may not. See Part 15 of the FCC Regs which regulate low power (= 100 mW RF output) devices. Your local governmental busybodies may (or may not) regulate your business license / zoning / etc. as in any other business situation. Call your attorney for an appointment (duh).

While you're at it what about baking recipes too?

[maggard]

"Where can I find decent information on how to provide wireless internet service using an unlicensed technology (such as the 802.11 variants) across a state border?"

We call them "lawyers". They specialize in understanding and interpreting the law, explaining how it applies to your particular circumstance, advising you of what hoops you'll need to jump through and what your risks are.

Here you'll get geeks of varying degrees of boredem expressing their limitied legal/political understandings of how your rather vague question should be interpreted. The actual value of these expressions will be distinctly dubious and at some point you'll just have to go to a lawyer anyway.

Why anyone posts this useless sort of question to "Ask /." is beyond me, moreso why they're chosen. Exactly what utility will the answers here be beyond raising /. pageviews? Like I said, the blazingly obvious answer is "go to a lawyer", everyone here will be prefacing with "IANAL" or for the .0001% who are legally sophisticated "This does not constitute competent legal advice and you should etc."

Re:I didn't think they had the 'lectricty in WVa,

[NoMoreNicksLeft]

Wait. Are you saying that 802.11 doesn't provide why-orless 'lectricity? Dag gommit, Jim-Bob has toll me a lie for the lass time...

*chain saw roaring*

We're gonna tich ole Jim-Bob a real good less'n!

its federal

[coaxial]

the EM spectrum is governed by federal laws. The states have no rights whatsoever over the use of the spectrum due to its inherent interstate nature.

Just think about it for a minute. Do states have big jammers along their borders that prevent you from receiving television and radio broadcasts from another state?

Re:its federal

[bill_mcgonigle]

What he's thinking of is running a telco network across state lines. You get tarriffed to death.

In a previous job we were looking at about $10K/mo in tarrifs to run just a dozen T1's across a state line. Back then it took $30K to buy microwave transceivers, but, going RF took it out of the states' hands, so the only monthly costs were the tower fees.

What I wonder is how all the telcos have shut down their microwave systems and gone fiber - they must have a way around the tarrifs or they would just have kept building microwave towers.

Try asking the same question here....

[oobeleck]

This is a great community resource.
If anyone has done this kind of stuff before these guys/gals have.