What is the Best Way to Bring Ubiquitous Broadband Access to All Americans?
The New America Foundation cordially invites you and your colleagues to a Capitol Hill lunch policy forum
Wireless Future:
Featuring:
- John Muleta, CEO and Co-Founder, M2Z Networks (Former Chief, FCC Wireless Bureau)
- Chris Guttman-McCabe, VP, Regulatory Affairs, CTIA - The Wireless Association
- Ben Scott, Policy Director, Free Press
- John Scrivner, President, Mount Vernon Net and Co-Founder, Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA)
- Morgan O’Brien (invited), CEO, Cyren Call, Co-Founder, Nextel Communications
Moderator:
Michael Calabrese
Vice President and Director, Wireless Future Program
New America Foundation
Friday, February 23rd, 2007
12 p.m. - 2 p.m.
(Lunch will be provided)
385 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC
With U.S. broadband penetration still lagging far behind other advanced economies—and rural and low-income areas in particular being left on the wrong side of the digital divide—a variety of emerging wireless technologies offer the potential to quickly and cost-effectively bring affordable and ubiquitous broadband access to all Americans. While these wireless solutions offer great promise, they all suffer from a lack of adequate access to the public airwaves (spectrum)—either on an exclusive licensed or shared, unlicensed basis.
Recently, two start-ups have proposed innovative but controversial new nationwide wireless broadband networks, premised not on spectrum auctions, but on valuable grants of spectrum in return for extensive public interest service obligations. M2Z Networks, co-founded by former FCC Wireless Bureau Chief John Muleta, has requested 20 MHz of currently unassigned, fallow spectrum to provide a two-tier “family friendly†broadband service (including a basic free offering and a faster, premium service) reaching 95% of the U.S. population. Cyren Call, headed by Nextel co-founder Morgan O’Brien, has proposed reallocating 30 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band, currently set to be auctioned in 2008, for a Public Safety Broadband Trust. This trust would partner with private companies to build a seamless nationwide broadband network optimized for public safety use, but with excess capacity used for commercial services.
Muleta and O’Brien (invited) will compare and contrast their respective proposals. Other panelists will contrast the other contending models for providing wireless broadband services. Ben Scott of Free Press will highlight municipal and nonprofit community broadband networks. John Scrivner will discuss the important role of commercial Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) utilizing primarily unlicensed spectrum—and the need for access to more and better unlicensed spectrum in the form of vacant TV channels (“white spacesâ€). Chris Guttman-McCabe of CTIA will discuss emerging 3G cellular and fixed wireless (WiMax) services operating on licensed spectrum (much of which was acquired by carriers at auction). Panelists will also discuss the role of Universal Service reform in furthering wireless broadband deployment.
To RSVP, send an email to communications@newamerica.net. If you have questions about this event, please call or email Elizabeth Wu at (202) 986-2700 ext.315 or wu@newamerica.net.