Wireless Future Program: Policy Papers

New Media, Technology and Internet Use in Indian Country

OTI — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:23:00 -0500

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.

The Hidden Harms of Application Bias

OTI — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:07:00 -0500

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 on the Internet is not conge

Getting Connected

OTI — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:16:00 -0400

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

Wireless Future — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:18:00 -0400

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

OTI — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:17:00 -0400

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!

OTI — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:41:00 -0400

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.

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

OTI — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 01:58:00 -0400

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

OTI — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:10:00 -0400

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.

Primer on Federal Broadband Funding

OTI — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:29:00 -0400

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.

Application Guide for the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program

OTI — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:02:00 -0400

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).

Broadband Infrastructure Application Guide for BIP

OTI — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:52:00 -0400

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

Broadband Infrastructure Application Guide for BTOP

OTI — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:33:00 -0400

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

Sustainable Broadband Adoption Application Guide

OTI — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:50:00 -0400

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

Public Computer Centers Program Application Guide

OTI — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:56:00 -0400

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

OTI — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:37:00 -0400

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;
read more

The End of Spectrum ‘Scarcity’

Wireless Future — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:50:00 -0400

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 community across the country, large swaths of valuable spectrum lie fallow the majority of the time. This underutilized spectrum represents enormous, untapped, public capacity for high-speed and pervasive broadband connectivity. Therefore it is vital to a national broadband plan to consider policies that will encourage more intensive and efficient use of the nation’s spectrum resources.

A Potential Alliance for World-Wide Dynamic Spectrum Access

Wireless Future — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:58:00 -0400

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 proposed for unlicensed access to TV band white space, or a combination of both. Reported experimental results to date have shown that the promises from DSA technology are realistic and achievable.

New Approaches to Private Sector Sharing of Federal Government Spectrum

Wireless Future — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:05:00 -0400

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. Thus, the FCC controls spectrum use by private parties and states and local governments while the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) controls federal government spectrum use.

Revitalizing the Public Airwaves

Wireless Future — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:45:00 -0400

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 for significant additional frequency reallocations while enabling a wide range of creative new uses and social benefits. Based on what little information is publicly available, it is reasonable to assume that the repurposing of government spectrum would go far in addressing a number of access-related communication problems. Repurposing currently unused U.S. government-controlled spectrum for opportunistic unlicensed use would benefit society by dramatically expanding access to high-speed broadband and increasing the pace of wireless technological innovation. This approach to spectrum policy presents a “third way” for reform, drawing from both the commons and property rights models of spectrum management.

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

OTI — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:53:00 -0400

The following chart lists the price, download and upload speeds of residential Internet services in the U.S. and Japan.