Lessons from the History of Wi-Fi
Today I published a research paper (Lessons from the History of Wi-Fi) on the (minimal) effect of the FCC’s unfortunate assignment of 1,200 MHz of new spectrum to Wi-Fi. Touted…
Wheeler supports his own Internet regulations
Former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has broken his silence on the FCC’s desire to re-impose his Title II regulatory framework on Internet Service Providers. This is dog-bites-man news apart from…
Some history on unlicensed spectrum
In 1985, the FCC issued the nearly forgotten “Spread Spectrum Order” (should be called the Mike Marcus Order) making 234.5 Mhz of radio frequency spectrum available in three bands to…
Net neutrality advocates discover quality
Barbara van Schewick is a professor at the Stanford Law School and director of the Center for Internet and Society, Larry Lessig’s old job. She is without question the most…
My op-ed in Fierce Wireless
Leading wireless tech news outlet Fierce Wireless published my op-ed in support of the Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2024 today. The bill will be discussed along with other national security…
Net Neutrality Reply Comments
Rather than going forward with backward-looking Title II regulations it would be wise for the FCC to issue a Further NPRM seeking comment on the state of competition in the Broadband ISP market. The NPRM barely touches this topic, but it’s actually at the center of the current issue set. There is much the Agency can do to accelerate the transition from a wire-dominant broadband regime to a wireless future in which the Internet is fully pervasive.
HTF Comments on Title II NPRM
But most of all, the FCC needs to guide Congress toward a regulatory status quo that enables the Commission to function to its full capability so that the Internet can fulfill its potential. The FCC and the Internet are not at war with each other, you are both partners in making a better tomorrow.
FCC Lumbers Along with Net Neutrality
I would much rather see the FCC spend its free time on the spectrum problem than fooling around with Title II. But that takes the agency focusing more on what the country needs and less on its institutional self-esteem. That’s harsh, but it’s consistent with what’s actually happening in 2023
Spectrum Policy is Too Politicized
Spectrum policy needs to be guided by the realities of network engineering rather than the desires of network incumbents to protect legacy business models from competition from wireless upstarts. Spectrum policy need not be a team sport.
FAA Proposes Token 5G Fix
Absent exigent circumstances (supply chain disruptions and the like) a single cycle of radalt upgrades and add-on filters should be sufficient to ensure compatibility with 5G.