Populating the Vacant Channels

POPULATING THE VACANT CHANNELS
[SOURCE: New America Foundation, AUTHOR: Pierre de Vries]
On June 28, 2006, the Senate Commerce Committee adopted comprehensive telecom reform legislation including provisions that would open up unused TV channels (“white spaces”) in every region of America for unlicensed use by wireless broadband devices. Vacant channels exist between broadcast television stations in every media market. This spectrum can potentially be used by unlicensed devices for affordable wireless broadband services without interfering with television viewing. In a new Working Paper for the New America Foundation, Pierre de Vries, formerly Senior Director of Advanced Technology and Policy at Microsoft, affirms that an unlicensed allocation of these bands would be the most productive way to use this spectrum. De Vries argues that unlicensed spectrum is a proven way to generate technical and commercial innovation; promotes healthy diversity in markets and regulatory models; and complements the licensed allocation in the nearby 700 MHz band. As de Vries explains, a broad cross-section of society would benefit from unlicensed access to the TV white spaces, including rural and inner-city residents seeking affordable Internet access, entrepreneurs starting up digital communication businesses, cities and companies seeking to foster growth and productivity, and citizens who want to create home or community broadband networks. De Vries urges Congress to press the FCC to act on its dormant Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and allocate this spectrum to unlicensed use.
http://www.newamerica.net/Download_Docs/pdfs/Doc_File_3247_1.pdf