Open Spectrum: Publications, Events and More

PISC Reply Comments on Wireless Innovation

Wireless Future — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:07:00 -0500

On behalf of the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition, we are pleased to submit these reply comments regarding the Commission's Notice of Inquiry on Fostering Innovation and Investment in the Wireless Communications Market.^[1] As the Commission noted, the market for wireless broadband services has been evolving at an extraordinarily rapid pace and is delivering new and empowering technologies to American

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:

Beyond Broadband Access

Erin Drankoski — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:30:00 -0400

A New America Event
09/22/2009 - 10:30am

From September 22 to 24, the New America Foundations Open Technology Initiative hosted Beyond Broadband Access: Data Based Information Policy for a New Administration. An experts workshop, Beyond Broadband Access created an opportunity for small group of highly skilled experts from around the world to seek breakthrough insights which can be applied to current policy challenges.

FCC Gears Up for Massive Broadband Initiative | Broadcast Engineering

Cecille Isidro — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:28:00 -0400

... 21st-century economies,” said Sascha Meinrath, director of the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative, at a recent FCC hearing. ... and more »

Appropriate Roles for FCC and FTC Could Determine Fate of Broadband Consumers | BroadbandCensus.com

Cecille Isidro — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 11:44:00 -0400

Sascha Meinrath, director of the Open Technology Initiative at the New America Foundation, a “tech tank inside a think that that provide support for open ...

OTI Director, Sascha Meinrath, Testifies at FCC Workshop on Broadband Consumer Context

Erin Drankoski — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:34:00 -0400

Washington, DC -- "Policy-making has continued under a self-imposed veil of ignorance," challenged Sascha Meinrath, Director of the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative at today's Federal Communications Commission workshop on Broadband Consumer Context. When we address the question "'What is the consumer context in the United States today?' The quick answer is that nobody knows."

FCC Workshop Comments on Broadband Consumer Context | 4G Wireless Evolution

Erin Drankoski — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:22:00 -0400

Service providers in the U.S. are intentionally keeping consumers in the dark about their broadband options, said Sascha Meinrath, director of the Open Technology Initiative at the New America Foundation and a speaker at today's FCC workshop titled Broadband Consumer Context. ... Orignial Article

Obama's Pick Brings a New Savvy to the FCC | The Hill

Cecille Isidro — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:31:00 -0400

... promised during the Obama campaign will never see the light of day,” said Sascha Meinrath, director of New America Foundation's Wireless Future Program. ... and more »

FCC Should Move Quickly on Rural Broadband Access | FederalNewsRadio.com

Cecille Isidro — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:01:00 -0400

OTI Director, Sascha Meinrath, Testifies at FCC Workshop on Next Generation Wireless Technology

Erin Drankoski — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:18:00 -0400

Last Thursday, Sascha Meinrath, Director of the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative presented on the FCC Broadband Workshop on Technology and Wireless. The lone public interest voice on a panel dominated corporate representative, Mr. Meinrath argued:

A Comparison of Bandwidth Caps in the U.S. and Japan

Erin Drankoski — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:02:00 -0400

Washington, DC—Today, the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative released a report comparing bandwidth caps for high-speed Internet—including cable modem, fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) or fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP), and Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks-in the United States and Japan. As the report documents, a large discrepancy exists between the two countries, suggesting that U.S. policy makers should investigate market conditions in Japan to determine why their network capacity supports far more per-customer throughput than U.S. broadband networks.

Strings Attached | Multichannel News

Cecille Isidro — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 07:16:00 -0400

New America Foundation research director Sascha Meinrath said the government also is encouraging a continuing dialogue — the NTIA has said it wants to hold ...

How to Apply for BTOP Broadband Funding

Communications — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:34:00 -0400

Today, the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative (OTI) released application guides to aid communities, institutions, non-profits, and other entities interested in applying for funding from the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program for Public Computer Centers or Sustainable Broadband Adoption programs.

U.S. Spectrum: Who's Counting? | eWeek

Cecille Isidro — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:08:00 -0400

"The best available data suggests that the majority of federal spectrum capacity is left unused -- a situation that has gone largely unexamined," Sascha Meinrath, director of New America Foundation's open technology initiative, wrote in a June report.

White Spaces on Steroids and Free Spectrum for Everyone | Ars Technica

Cecille Isidro — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:36:00 -0400

As New America's Michael Calabrese puts it, "the vast majority of frequency bands are not being used in most locations and at most times."

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

Communications — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:21:00 -0400

Washington, DC - Today, the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative released a report comparing residential high-speed Internet pricing in the United States and Japan. With broadband stimulus funding applications due soon and discussion over the creation of a national broadband policy heating up, this report sets a baseline for comparing the current state of Internet service provision.

The End of Spectrum ‘Scarcity'

Cecille Isidro — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:06:00 -0400

A New America Event
06/25/2009 - 12:15pm

As the FCC begins its year-long process to recommend a National Broadband Plan, one starting point is to unlock publicly-owned assets that can facilitate ubiquitous, affordable broadband access. Wireless spectrum remains the most cost-effective and rapid means to deliver broadband access to rural and unserved urban residents. But as mobile broadband use continues to increase exponentially, demand for spectrum will rapidly outpace availability under current spectrum management policies.

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.