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Revising Spectrum Rules

Posted by michael on from the oh-boy-here-comes-the-fcc dept.

Orne writes "Whereas NPR is speculating on the television spectrum, the AP brings us news that the Bush administration is set to re-evaluate government and industry use of the radio spectrum. An executive order kicks off a year of public meetings held by the Commerce Dept; the official press release is here."

5 of 125 comments (clear)

  1. Don't get your hopes up... by visualight · · Score: 4, Informative

    For some interesting reading regarding just how unscarce and unprecious this National Resource is check here:

    http://werbach.com/docs/new_wireless_paradigm.htm

    Unfortunately, I don't think this is what Bush has in mind. From is memo I gather that his intention is to make sure the corporations that already have it keep it:

    ...policies and procedures to promote more efficient and beneficial use of spectrum without harmful interference to critical incumbent users. (emphasis mine)
    --
    Samsung took back my unlocked bootloader because Google wants me to rent movies. They're both evil.
    1. Re:Don't get your hopes up... by Fesh · · Score: 2, Informative

      "If the US Government wants to put in place the most pro-innovation, pro-investment, deregulatory, and democratic spectrum policy regime, it should do everything possible to promote open spectrum."

      That's a really big if. Too big for me to swallow, really. Republicans aren't for true deregulation of anything. They're for removal of regulation that prevents the rich from getting richer and could care less about the rest of it. Monopolistic ownership of portions of the spectrum works just fine for that.

      --
      --Fesh
      Kill -9 'em all, let root@localhost sort 'em out.
  2. Re:Bush making money... by W2IRT · · Score: 3, Informative

    Actually, that part of the spectrum is called land-mobile radio and is blocked off to individual users grouped in services (schools radio systems falling into the block called Local Governemnt, and allowed to use frequencies within certain ranges).

    Anybody can use radios in the VHF and UHF spectrum for personal or business communications, provided (on most frequencies) a license is issued and radios meet a certain technical standard. There's also a group of five VHF frequencies that anybody can use license-free, (MURS), as well as the FRS service in the UHF region. The best-kept secret, though, is GMRS. Yes, a license from the FCC is needed ($75), but you have access to 7 repeaterized relatively high-powered frequencies in that range that are just perfect for personal communications.

    Of course, the best personal use of radio (in my somewhat-biased opinion) is amateur radio, where users may use thousands of frequencies, up to 1,000 Watts of power and with much less technical restrictions on hardware.

    What I'm afraid of with this announcement, however, is that organizations like the CTIA et al will start to take a long and hard look at amateur frequencies themselves. I had a really sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach when I read that story.

    --
    Cheers, Peter, W2IRT
  3. Re:Give the spectrum back to the people by gmhowell · · Score: 3, Informative

    NPR doesn't fulfill that mandate. They are owned/operated by corporations and the philanthropy arm of those corporations. They lobbied against LPFM. They lobbied in favor of the just passed changes by the FCC.

    NPR is not your friend.

    --
    Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
  4. Re:There goes Wi-Fi by davidstrauss · · Score: 2, Informative

    2.4GHz is unregulated because it sucks for long range. It's absorbed by water and other common compounds on earth. Additionally, Bush would catch flak for doing something that severely hurt business.