FCC To Expand Wireless Spectrum

Makarand writes "According to this article in the SF Chronicle the FCC will expand the wireless spectrum to push broadband into rural areas. However, consumer groups were quick to point out that these frequencies are not powerful enough to handle long range broadband communications. They want the FCC to open lower frequencies that can penetrate through walls and trees for wireless applications in rural areas."

Comments

What about Ricochet?

[RobertB-DC]

Sometimes, the best links on an article are the ones that go to yet another story.

SFGate.com also has this interesting article from almost a year ago on the return of Ricochet:
Ricochet is also targeting residents who can't get high-speed access otherwise. Its signals are sent from radios on poles and rooftops, allowing users with laptops and other mobile devices to stay connected while they roam around.

It sounds like Ricochet is going to use the unregulated 900 MHz band to do the same thing that the FCC is going to do with regulated spectrum (that's already in use by the military).

Of course, another kicker is this paragraph:
Aerie Networks Inc. has resurrected Ricochet, spending $8.25 million for technology and equipment that Metricom spent $1.3 billion developing.

Of all the times to have spent $8,250,000 on lottery tickets!

I can't wait for it to reach Britain

[paulhar]

I live in Rural Britain. We need the FCC to enable much lower signals so that we can _finally_ get broadband.

I can't wait :)

Hurrah!

as long as

[OwlofCreamCheese]

I just want it to be something small enough so it goes through me. wireless networks are everywhere these days... and somehow I like the idea that wherever I am there will be porn in my heart.

You don't want much more power!

[Garak]

You don't want much more power, not only for security reasons but for frequency reuse!

Keeping the power down lets you use the same frequencys over and over again in the same city. If you went with more power and lower frequencys you would interfear with people accross town using the same frequencys.

You don't need more power to go the distance. For point to point links you can use high gain dish's to go the distance. To cover larger areas you just deploy lots of cheap lower power access points/routers.

Re:You don't want much more power!

[NanoGator]

"Power level has nothing to do with security."

Yes it does. The less you use, the closer somebody has to be to your physical location to peek into your signal.

Think, then reply.

Re:You don't want much more power!

[SheldonYoung]

Again, no. There's security but it's as in false-sense-of.

You can't assume how far your signal can be detected. If you're counting on distance to help protect your signal, unless it's a veeeery long distance without physical access, you are deluding yourself. What if someone is listening with very sensitive equipment? What if a firmware upgrade increases the output power of your gear? What if it's the office in the floor above you doing the evesdropping? There are a lot of what-ifs.

If you're thinking about signal strength in the same breath as security you have a lot to learn about what it means to be secure.

They did this on purpose.

[PhilipPeake]

BPL (broadband over electricity distribution lines) has been pretty much abandoned/banned in most of the world because of the interference it causes. Of course, in the US, interference has to be balanced against MONEY, so its still somehwta alive here. Especially with the newest version, which doesn't spew its guts all over the SW spectrum, but zaps the... wait for it ... 5GHz band!

No wonder the FCC is so benevolent as to donate this spectrum to wireless internet services - they know its about to become useless thanks to pollution from BPL.

This just in: FCC Changes Laws of Physics

[kinema]

"the FCC will expand the wireless spectrum"

I'm not sure if the FCC has the authority to widen the electro-magnetic spectrum.

Re:The more the better.

[Aardpig]

They will find uses for each frequency range.

...all the while ignoring the fact that many frequency ranges are already used by astronomers to observe and study the universe. By polluting our window on the Cosmos, we risk losing the chance to discover how it all began. *Sigh*.

Chart of radio frequencies circa 1996

[LuxFX]

It isn't current, but here is a chart (PDF)
that shows how the radio bands were divided up in 1996.

lower frequencies

[GigsVT]

Lower frequencies that can penetrate walls and trees aren't likely going to give you anything you'd consider broadband speeds. You might be able to get a couple Mbits at 900Mhz, but once you get more than a few people sharing it, it's not going to be so hot. To go even lower means less and less bandwidth available.

How about interferences with hearing aids?

[antdude]

My bone conduction hearing aid has interferences with many cellular phones and WAPs (if I am close enough to one).

Will this FCC's decision going to make the situation worse for those who wear hearing aids like me?