New America on Telecom and Technology

Easy Access to Our Work and Experts on This Issue

The American people collectively own the most valuable resource of the emerging information economy: the airwaves, also known as the radio frequency spectrum. Yet our nation’s antiquated spectrum policies create an artificial scarcity that reduces innovation and competition, inhibits the rapid deployment of universal wireless broadband services, sacrifices billions of dollars of revenue, constrains citizen access to the airwaves and erodes the public interest obligations of broadcasters and other licensees. New America promotes fair and efficient use of the airwaves in order to unlock the full potential of the emerging wireless era for all Americans.

Recent New America articles, events, policy papers and press coverage on this topic are available below, as is information on our staff and fellows with expertise in this area. To learn more about New America's ideas, proposals and activities, please see our Wireless Future Program home page and the Open Technology Initiative page.

Policy Papers

New America's latest official publications on this issue are featured below.

New Media, Technology and Internet Use in Indian Country

As digital communications and the Internet become increasingly pervasive, Native Americans continue to lack access to this digital revolution.  Native Americans are among the last citizens to gain access to the Internet, with access to broadband often unavailable or overly expensive in Native communities.  Beyond that challenge, there is a fundamental lack of qualitative or quantitative empirical research on Native American Internet use, adoption, and access, stifling the Native voice in broadband and media policy.

Sascha Meinrath | November 19, 2009

The Hidden Harms of Application Bias

Application bias, the practice by network operators of placing applications into tiers of low and high priority and enforcing this prioritization through mechanisms in the middle of the network, poses hidden harms for the Internet that substantially outweigh its uncertain benefits.  Application bias degrades low priority applications, decreases overall network performance, and locks the Internet into typical usage patterns of 2009, frustrating both consumer choice and Internet innovation.  At the same time, the biggest hurdle to offering more powerful services… more

Robb Topolski | November 2009

Getting Connected

The current national discussion to expand access and use of broadband occurring in Washington has created an ideal time for foundations to become engaged in the issue. The current economic recession, combined with an unprecedented effort by government to directly invest in the deployment and adoption of broadband, provides an enormous opportunity for community foundations to help support beneficial projects and initiatives in communities across the country. 

Mobile Data Demand and the Need for Increased Spectrum Access

There is no doubt that consumer demand for mobile data applications is exploding worldwide. As Smartphones with PC capabilities and broadband aircards gain access to faster 4G networks beginning next year, total wireless data consumption will increase geometrically. Cisco’s annual projection of global Internet traffic predicts a 129% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for mobile data over the next five years in North America (through 2013).

Meeting consumer demand for mobile data will require some combination of four strategies:

Broadband Truth-in-Labeling

The Open Technology Initiative of the New America Foundation is calling for Truth-in-Labeling by our nation's broadband operators. Drawn from similar useful disclosure requirements by lenders, these Broadband Truth-in-Labeling disclosure standards will give the marketplace a much-needed tool that clarifies and adds meaning to the terms and conditions of the service being offered. 

100 Megabits or Bust!

When the Federal Communications Commission delivers a National Broadband Plan to Congress in February 2010 the United States will not be among the first countries to implement a national broadband strategy. Taiwan, Japan, and Korea all introduced national broadband strategies in the beginning of this decade and fifteen European Union Member states proposed National Broadband Strategies in 2003. This report reviews successful strategies and goals from six of these countries: Japan, Korea, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Taiwan.

Chiehyu Li, James Losey | September 16, 2009

Comments of the New America Foundation - NBP Public Notice #1

Determining an appropriate definition of broadband is a critical part of the Commission's development of a National Broadband Plan. An appropriate definition is essential not only for establishing "what is broadband" and "where is it available," but also for shaping the future trajectory of telecommunications innovation in the United States.  The Open Technology Initiative of the New America Foundation makes the following recommendations for the Commission to consider in defining broadband:  

Bandwidth Caps for High-Speed Internet in the U.S. and Japan

As part of the Open Technology Initiative's continuing research to compare international broadband capabilities and policies, we have completed this report comparing bandwidth or usage cap policies between Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the United States and Japan. Bandwidth caps are imposed limits on the amount of data or traffic a subscriber can consume over their Internet connection.

Chiehyu Li, James Losey | August 10, 2009

Primer on Federal Broadband Funding

If you are interested in applying for Federal stimulus money for broadband related programs but are unsure where to start, the attached zine is a great place to start. Print it, pass it out, use it to spread the information in your community.
July 29, 2009

Application Guide for the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program

This document has been prepared by the New America Foundation's Open Technology initiative as an application guide for the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program outlined in the July 1, 2009 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

James Losey | July 20, 2009

Broadband Infrastructure Application Guide for BIP

This guide has been prepared by the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Initiative as a reference guide for applications for the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP).  In addition to general information about the application process and eligibility requirements outlined in the July 1, 2009 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), this guide breaks down the application into categories of responsibility and a sample timeline.  While not intended as a replacement for the

Benjamin Lennett, James Losey | July 16, 2009

Broadband Infrastructure Application Guide for BTOP

This guide has been prepared by the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative as a reference guide for applications for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). In addition to general information about the application process and eligibility requirements outlined in the July 1, 2009 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), this guide breaks down the application into categories of responsibility and a sample timeline. While not intended as

Benjamin Lennett, James Losey | July 16, 2009

Sustainable Broadband Adoption Application Guide

This guide has been prepared by the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative as a reference guide for applicants for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). In addition to general information about the application process and eligibility requirements outlined in the July 1, 2009 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), this guide breaks down the application into categories of responsibility and a sample timeline. While not intended as

Benjamin Lennett, James Losey | July 15, 2009

Public Computer Centers Program Application Guide

This guide has been prepared by the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative as a reference guide for applicants for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). In addition to general information about the application process and eligibility requirements outlined in the July 1, 2009 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), this guide breaks down the application into categories of responsibility and a sample timeline. While not intended as

Benjamin Lennett, James Losey | July 15, 2009

Summary, Concerns, and Strategic Guidance Regarding Notice of Funds Availability for BTOP

Executive Summary

This memorandum provides analysis, strategic guidance, and policy concerns and recommendations with regard to the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).[1] 

This memorandum includes:

1.      A summary of the latest developments in the BTOP and how they will impact many would-be applicants;

Sascha Meinrath | July 7, 2009

The End of Spectrum ‘Scarcity’

Wireless is the most cost-effective and rapid means to bring broadband access to under-served rural and urban residents. Even after high-capacity Internet access becomes universal, wireless remains as the complementary infrastructure needed to achieve the larger goal of pervasive connectivity. Within a few short years, most Americans are likely to spend more hours each week on mobile than on wired Internet connections. Demand for spectrum will outpace availability under current spectrum man-management policies. Meanwhile, in every… more

Michael Calabrese | June 2009

A Potential Alliance for World-Wide Dynamic Spectrum Access

Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) Systems are one of the most promising technologies available to increase the range and efficiency of spectrum dependent services. DSA systems locate unused spectrum, and organize their users to operate within the spectrum they have identified. DSA systems ensure no interference to other users by scanning and sensing the environment, as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) NeXt Generation spectrum sharing field tests have established, or through pre-existing knowledge, such as the geolocation database… more

June 2009

New Approaches to Private Sector Sharing of Federal Government Spectrum

As the U.S. economy and society becomes more and more information-centric and mobile, wireless systems are becoming a major factor in the efficient functioning of our society. Radio spectrum is a key economic input into wireless systems that power our information society and economy and enhance public safety and national security. Since the earliest days of radio regulation in the United States; federal government use of spectrum has been handled independently of other users’ access to spectrum. … more

June 24, 2009

Revitalizing the Public Airwaves

The time has arrived for the unmet potentials of federal white spaces to receive some well-deserved attention. While many policy analysts have focused on the fate of the 700 MHz auctions, the digital TV transition, and the promise of television white space devices, the best available data suggests that the majority of federal spectrum capacity is left unused (McHenry, 2003; McHenry, 2004) – a situation that has gone largely unexamined. Strategic reuse of this spectrum could help obviate the need… more

U.S. vs. Japan: Residential Internet Service Provision Pricing

The following chart lists the price, download and upload speeds of residential Internet services in the U.S. and Japan.
Chiehyu Li | June 23, 2009

Articles & Books

Recent New America-authored articles, op-eds and books on this topic are featured below.

Is There "Hope" for Shepard Fairey?

Shepard Fairey may have hoped to teach something new about art and copyright with his iconic "Hope" poster of Barack Obama. Instead, he is accused of lyring about which Associated Press photo he used. (He says he made a mistake.) But if Fairey's lying has probably made a hash of his case and lost him a lawyer, it has also raised that pesky question yet again: Just what is fair use? Was it legal for Fairey to take an AP photo and turn it into… more

Tim Wu | Slate | October 21, 2009

Save the Google Book Search Deal!

There is a movement afoot to kill the Google Book Search deal. That's the settlement between Google, American publishers, and the Authors Guild to relaunch Google's book search, which would allow for new digital access to out-of-print books, free of legal problems. Microsoft warns that Google and America's publishers are "misusing the judicial system" to create a "monopoly in digital books." It is joined

Tim Wu | Slate | September 30, 2009

Code Red

The central contention of Barack Obama's vision for health care reform is straightforward: that our health care system today is so wasteful and poorly organized that it is possible to lower costs, expand access, and raise quality all at the same time--and even have money left over at the end to help pay for other major programs, from bank bailouts to high-speed rail.

And Data for All

The Obama administration's most radical idea may also be its geekiest: Make nearly every hidden government spreadsheet and buried statistic available online, all in one place. For anyone to see. Are you searching for a Food and Drug Administration report that used to be obtainable only through the Freedom of Information Act? Just a mouseclick away. Need National Institutes of Health studies and school testing scores? Click. Census data, nonclassified Defense Department specs, obscure Securities and Exchange Commission files, prison… more

Nicholas Thompson | Wired | June 17, 2009

Cyberscares About Cyberwars Equal Cybermoney

As though we don't have enough to be afraid of already, what with armed lunatics mowing down military recruiters and doctors, the H1N1 flu virus, the collapse of bee populations, rising sea levels, failed and flailing states, North Korea being North Korea, al-Qaeda wannabes in New York State with terrorist aspirations, and who knows what else -- now cyberjihadis are evidently poised to steal our online identities, hack into our banks, take over our Flickr and Facebook accounts, and create… more

Future Tense: Radical Revolution

In 1913, the U.S. Government prosecuted Lee De Forest for telling investors that his company, RCA, would soon be able to transmit the human voice across the Atlantic. This claim was so preposterous, prosecutors asserted, that he was obviously swindling potential investors. He was ultimately released, but not before being lectured by the judge to stop making any more fraudulent claims.

Smithsonian Click-n-Drags Itself Forward

The Smithsonian has decided this whole online contraption may not be a fad after all.

Over the weekend it invited 31 luminaries of the digital age to talk with what the institution hopes are its most energetic thought leaders. The subject: dragging the world's greatest museum complex into the current century.

No small task.

Joel Garreau | Washington Post | January 26, 2009

The Plot to Kill Google

When Google's lawyers entered the smooth marble hallways of the Department of Justice on the morning of October 17, they had reason to feel confident. Sure, they were about to face the antitrust division--an experience most companies dread--to defend a proposed deal with Yahoo. But they had to like their chances. In the previous seven years, only one of the mergers that had been brought here had been opposed. And Google wasn't even requesting a full merger. It just wanted the go-ahead to pursue a small… more

Nicholas Thompson | Wired | January 19, 2009

An Agenda for Obama's CTO

President-elect Barack Obama has promised to appoint the world's first governmental Chief Technology Officer (CTO). On its transition Web site, www.change.gov, the incoming Administration has published a list of goals for the soon-to-be anointed CTO: broadband expansion, boosting science/tech education, health-care computerization, patent reform, and e-government.

Parag Khanna | BusinessWeek | January 13, 2009

iGov

Barack Obama has said we need a "Google for government." It's a nice line, but what does it mean? Federal agencies have been online since the mid-'90s. Obama's first crack at a Google-for-government law led to USAspending.gov, a budget tracker that looked like everything else the feds had put up on the Web--until I saw one geek-speak phrase on the home page, so small I almost missed it: API Documentation. To understand its significance, let me tell you how I got subway schedules on… more

Douglas McGray | The Atlantic | January/February 2009

Life, Liberty and Connectivity for All

We live in a civil society - a place where primary education is freely available to all, where anyone can enjoy a walk through our public parks or down our sidewalks and freely drive through the streets. Libraries across the country loan out books for free - literature that you can read on a spring day in our parks or beneath the streetlights on main street on a warm summer's evening. You don't have to tip the firemen who show up at your house or pay… more

The New New Media

The first time Jonathan Zittrain gave a speech on the future of computing, he greatly surprised his audience. The year was 1985, and Zittrain was a magazine columnist and the "system operator" of an online forum for users of Texas Instruments computers. As a leading figure in the community, Zittrain was invited to speak at a big convention in Chicago. The surprise was that Zittrain had recently turned fifteen. No one had ever met him in person: when he was appointed system operator, sight unseen, he… more

Tim Wu | The New Republic | December 31, 2008

A Glimmer In The Global Gloom?

Over a long and satisfying string of holiday parties, I've been gauging the mood of friends and acquaintances in New York regarding the economic climate we've only half-jokingly come to call "The Depression." Because an unusually large number of my friends are in the arts, media, academia, the law and finance, I'm fully confident that I'm getting a badly distorted view of the coming crunch. These are, after all, the hardest hit sectors. One wag joked that we all belong to the "parasite class," and that… more

Reihan Salam | Forbes.com | December 15, 2008

FCC Approves White Space Devices

Yesterday will go down in history as a bellwether moment. Few among us will soon forget the excitement of Obama's election. But there was an equally historic vote yesterday that for geeks, policy analysts, and technologists represents an entirely new trajectory in telecommunications. In essence, the FCC has begun the transition from command-and-control, single-user spectrum licensure to a more distributed system that holds the potential to eliminate the artificial scarcity that prevented widespread access to the public airwaves since 1927.

Yesterday, the FCC ruled that unlicensed white… more

Sascha Meinrath | Circle ID | November 5, 2008

Broadband Data Improvement Act Passes Senate, House, A.K.A. Find Why U.S. is on Continuous Decline

In a major win for the public interest, the Broadband Data Improvement Act passed the Senate (on September 26th) and the House (on September 29th). Due to amendments, it now goes back to the Senate for final approval (should be pro-forma) before it lands on George Bush's desk.

With the United States falling further and further behind a host of other countries, the question on many people's minds (including the folks over at Point-Topic who created this graphic) is, "Why is this happening?"

more
Sascha Meinrath | Circle ID | October 2, 2008

How Fast You Can Read This Essay Online

John McCain is an AT&T guy; Barack Obama is a Google guy. And that's one of the most important policy differences between the two.

Think of the Internet as working at different layers. There are all the pipes that go into your home, and then there's all the stuff on your screen--from e-mail to eMule. The telecom companies like AT&T control the pipes; the software companies, like Google, create the stuff.

In an ideal world, both these layers would be… more

It's Official: China Now Has More Broadband Lines than the United States

It was just last year that those of us raising alarms about the massive half-decade market failure in the United States to adequately provision broadband services were facing a misinformation campaign that raw numbers mattered more than percentage rankings. According to this argument, the U.S. broadband market was sound because we had more broadband lines than anyone else.

The misinformation brigade got so much attention (mainly due to incumbents funding a propaganda campaign that "everything is fine here, nothing to see"), that public interest groups had to issue… more

Sascha Meinrath | Circle ID | September 30, 2008

Events

Related New America events, both recent and upcoming (if any), are featured below.

Experts

Wireless Future Program Director Michael Calabrese is New America's primary contact for this issue. All fellows and staff with expertise in this area are listed below in alphabetical order.

Michael Calabrese

Michael Calabrese Vice President and Director, Wireless Future Program

As Vice President of the New America Foundation, Michael Calabrese directs the Wireless Future Program and helps to guide the Foundation's work related to retirement security and the Next Social Contract Initiative. Previously, Mr. Calabrese served as Director of Domestic Policy Programs at the Center for National Policy, as General… more

Joel Garreau

Joel Garreau Schwartz Fellow

Areas of Expertise: Telecom & Technology

Benjamin Lennett

Benjamin Lennett Policy Analyst, Wireless Future Program
As a Policy Analyst for the Wireless Future Program & the Open Technology Initiative at the New America Foundation, Benjamin Lennett contributes to the program’s efforts to develop and advocate policy proposals aimed at achieving universal and affordable wireless broadband access through policy research, writing, and outreach.
Areas of Expertise: Telecom & Technology

Chiehyu (Julianne) Li

Chiehyu (Julianne) Li Program Associate, Open Technology Initiative

As Program Associate for the Open Technology Initiative at the New America Foundation, Chiehyu Li researches and analyzes international telecommunication policy and network industries. Her concentration is broadband Internet and technology in East Asian countries aimed at developing universal broadband services in the United States.

Areas of Expertise: Telecom & Technology

James Losey

James Losey Program Associate, Open Technology Initiative

As a Program Associate for the Open Technology Initiative at the New America Foundation, James Losey uses his diverse background to provide research and analysis on broadband and technology at the community, national, and international level.

Areas of Expertise: Telecom & Technology

Douglas McGray

Irvine Fellow

Douglas McGray writes about social and international issues, technology, and culture for Public Radio International's This American Life, The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times, The Atlantic Monthly, the Los Angeles Times, Foreign Policy, Wired, The Washington Post, Mother Jones and The Economist. His work has been profiled on the cover of Time Asia… more

Sascha Meinrath

Sascha Meinrath Research Director, Wireless Future Program; Director, Open Technology Initiative
Sascha Meinrath is Research Director of the Wireless Future Program at the New America Foundation. An expert on community wireless networks and municipal broadband, Mr. Meinrath also coordinates the Open Source Wireless Coalition, a global partnership of open source wireless integrators, researchers, implementers, and companies dedicated to the development of… more
Areas of Expertise: Telecom & Technology

Dan Meredith

Staff Technologist, Open Technology Initiative

As Staff Technologist for the Open Technology Initiative at the New America Foundation, Daniel Meredith utilizes his background in developing open source and open standard technology solutions for organizational, community, and municipal networks to provide research on emerging hardware and software, provide support for allied public interest groups, aid in disseminating and evaluating information contained in… more

Areas of Expertise: Telecom & Technology

Victor Pickard

Victor Pickard Research Fellow, Open Technology Initiative

As a Research Fellow for the Open Technology Initiative at the New America Foundation, Victor Pickard focuses on spectrum policy reform, technology-enabled journalism, and telecommunications policy.  He also provides research and analysis for policies geared toward implementing universal broadband access in the United States.

Areas of Expertise: Telecom & Technology

Reihan Salam

Schwartz Fellow

Reihan Salam writes on politics, culture, and technology, and was previously an associate editor at The Atlantic, a producer for NBC News, a junior editor and editorial researcher at The New York Times, a research associate at the Council on Foreign Relations, and a reporter-researcher at The New Republic. He is the co-author of… more

Troy K. Schneider

Troy K. Schneider Director, Media and Communications

As Director of Media and Communications, Troy K. Schneider is responsible for the organization's public presence -- ensuring that New America is visible in traditional media outlets, an innovator with its own online efforts, and an active player in the larger media community.

Kate Schuler

Managing Editor, NewAmerica.net

As the Managing Editor for NewAmerica.net, Kate Schuler drives the organization's online publishing efforts -- ensuring that New America is both an innovator with its own sites and an active player in the larger online community.

Areas of Expertise: Health Policy, Telecom & Technology

Nicholas Thompson

Schwartz Fellow
Nicholas Thompson is a senior editor at Wired Magazine and the author of The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the History of the Cold War, which Henry Holt published in September 2009.

Robert M. Topolski

Chief Technologist, Open Technology Initiative
As Chief Technologist for the Open Technology Initiative (OTI) of the New America Foundation, Mr. Topolski provides reliable technical data and analysis to the general public and decision-makers on key technology issues. Mr. Topolski contributes regularly to various technology forums and conferences and brings 25 years of communications and technology… more
Areas of Expertise: Telecom & Technology

Robert Wright

Robert Wright Schwartz Senior Fellow

Robert Wright is Editor in Chief of Bloggingheads.tv and the author of The Moral Animal (Pantheon, 1994), Nonzero (Pantheon, 2000), and The Evolution of God (Little, Brown, 2009). He is a contributing editor for The New Republic and a contributor to Time and Slate. He has also written… more

Tim Wu

Tim Wu Schwartz Fellow

Tim Wu is a professor at Columbia Law School and the chairman of media reform organization Free Press. He is the co-author of Who Controls the Internet? (Oxford U. Press, 2006). Mr. Wu was recognized in 2006 as one of 50 leaders in science and technology by Scientific American magazine and was listed as one of… more

Areas of Expertise: Telecom & Technology

Press

Press Release/Media AppearanceDate
Small Cable, Online Video Companies Warn of Anticompetition in Comcast, NBC Merger | Washington PostNovember 19, 2009
New America Foundation Announces Its First Knight Media Policy FellowNovember 12, 2009
Consumer Groups Seek Clarity from FCC on Open Internet RulemakingNovember 10, 2009
DC Public Interest Community Urges FCC to Not Allow Selectable Output Control RestrictionsNovember 5, 2009
Biggest Net Neutrality Boosters Question FCC Proposal | Washington PostNovember 2, 2009
Network Engineers Question Need for Net Neutrality Rules | PC WorldOctober 29, 2009
A Nutrition Box for Internet service? | Washington PostOctober 29, 2009
Feds Should Free Up Airwaves to Spur Wireless Growth | Washington ExaminerOctober 27, 2009
Schumer Box Idea | Ars TechnicaOctober 20, 2009
Washington Technorati Toast Public Knowledge and Its IP3 Awards | BroadbandCensus.comOctober 15, 2009
Consumer Groups Criticize Broadband Providers for Advertising Practices ... | BroadbandCensus.comOctober 15, 2009
Federal Government Calls for Broadband Transparency | TMC NetOctober 13, 2009
Does Broadband Need Its Own Government "Nutrition Label"? | Ars TechnicaOctober 1, 2009
Venture Capitalists: Don't Treat Us As Hedge Funds | The HillOctober 1, 2009
Will Net Neutrality Go Wireless? | MSNBC.comSeptember 30, 2009
'Broadband Census for America' United Scholars and State Officials | BroadbandCensus.comSeptember 29, 2009
Will Net Neutrality Go Wireless? | BusinessWeekSeptember 29, 2009
'Beer and Broadband Mapping' at the Top Telecommunications Policy Conference | BroadbandCensus.comSeptember 28, 2009
Contributions to the Broadband Plan from Pennsylvania | BroadbandCensus.comSeptember 28, 2009
Wireless Carriers Beg FCC for Spectrum, Blame Smartphones | Ars TechnicaSeptember 27, 2009