Super Wi-Fi: In the Heart of the Spectrum

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski recently wrote a WSJ editorial that points to everything we talk about at the Super Wi-Fi Summit. In some ways, this is logical since we have followed his lead in naming the conference. 

However, the discussion has gone way beyond the use of TV white space. As Brough Turner predicted the precedents are being put in place to open up spectrum in a variety of frequencies that will never be associated with TV white space.

Here are his points and the way they can be projected.

     1) TV Incentive Auction. The point of the incentive auction is to repack the companies that are still on some frequencies and to make spectrum allocation pools based on location less attractive.   The goal is to make a give back program that allows these broadcasters to move and to receive compensation for doing so. It is a tricky strategy, since the FCC is in the middle to oversee and to avoid collusion. You can watch our forum on this subject here.

The implication is that many of the auctions that have happened in the past have ended up with a lot of smaller (often minority owned) companies looking to partner with bigger players. In many cases, this has not worked well and the precedent from TVWS may allow these companies to rethink their participation and collectively redesign their investments in a more lucrative way.

     2) Unlicensed Spectrum. The FCC has made more spectrum available for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and the little spectrum that couldn’t has become a great unifier in the data world.  

One issue that annoys me with the TVWS is the fact that few companies are playing this as an edge play - where the consumer is the buyer of these devices. In some ways, this is logical because the TVWS allocation has been in flux between Congress and the FCC. It would be hopeful to see the new Wi-Fi standards that are unlicensed spectrum start to impact larger facility implementations like Hotels and Campuses. In the long run, Unlicensed Spectrum may enable David Reed’s edge network dreams .   For now, I would be content with a self-managed product.

     3)Spectrum Sharing Databases. Here, the commission set in place a strategy that allowed companies to discover implementations and find ways to use spectrum that has been allocated in a broad way when it could be used by several companies just through awareness.

This one gets to be a huge issue since much of the spectrum allocated to the government is rarely used. In effect, the allocation was made at a national level, while much of the implementation has been point to point or in a specific region. This will be a long process for government agencies to learn to share and it can also impact some other implementations, but in the long run this may be the best strategy for delivering new services and may reinvigorate Cognitive Radio strategies.

Watching the Commission can often feel like watching your grass grow while fighting grubs. However the opportunities are ahead for some real growth.