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Wireless Future Metablog
Featured Publications
Citizens Guide to the AirwavesA Graphic Depiction of the Uses -- and Misuses -- of the Radiofrequency Spectrum
The Art of Spectrum LobbyingAmerica's $480 Billion Spectrum Giveaway, How it Happened, and How to Prevent it from Recurring
The Cartoon Guide to Federal Spectrum PolicyWhat if the Government Regulated Spoken Words the Way It Regulates the Airwaves?
The Hidden Harms of Application Bias
In a new paper from Free Press and the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative, Chris Riley and Robb Topolski address the issue of prioritization of specific applications on broadband networks. This "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. Although, advocates of prioritization of certain bits often contend it is necessary to provide a quality of service during times of congestion, the biggest hurdle to offering more powerful services on the Internet is not congestion, but rather delayed deployment of truly high-speed Internet access services. With application bias, the benefits remain uncertain, but the risks to a dynamic and diverse Internet future are crystal clear.
Read the paper here.
Read the letter to FCC here.
New Spectrum Models Needed to Promote Pervasive Connectivity, Innovation and Consumer Welfare
NAF and Public Interest Spectrum Coalition Respond to Industry Spectrum Demands
On behalf of the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition, the New America Foundation's Wireless Future Program submited reply comments regarding the Commission's Notice of Inquiry on Fostering Innovation and Investment in the Wireless Communications Market. While there is no question that the existing commercial wireless business model - based on exclusive licensing, tower-based hub/spoke channelization, centralized infrastructure and metered billing - will need more exclusive-use spectrum in the short-run to meet the current explosion in mobile data demand, it should be equally clear that this model is not sustainable longer term.
Therefore, in addition to reallocating bands cleared completely for exclusive licensing, the public interest in promoting pervasive connectivity, innovation and consumer welfare suggests that the FCC should also lay the groundwork for complementary spectrum access models that facilitate innovative wireless networks. Wise policy choices will be necessary to facilitate - and not impede - a market evolution toward more spectrum-efficient and cost-effective "hybrid" or "heterogeneous" wireless broadband networks. To facilitate these wireless infrastructures, we believe it is essential for the Commission, the executive branch and Congress to explicitly support alternative models for spectrum access through:
- Opportunistic Access to Bands that Cannot be Cleared Quickly
- Wholesale Access
- New Unlicensed Bands
- Test-Beds to Spur Innovation
Read the full reply comments here.
Read our paper on mobile data and need the need for increased spectrum access here.
Broadband Truth-in-Labeling
A Schumer Box for Broadband
Broadband subscribers are often frustrated that the actual performance of their internet access service regularly falls far below the advertised speeds. Consumers set their expectations based on phrases like "up to 16 Mbps," and are disappointed to learn that these quotes are worthless as assurances. Currently, there is no lawful requirement for ISPs to reveal the contents of the broadband services they are providing; customers might be harmed by the invalid or ambiguous languages.The Open Technology Initiative is calling for a 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.
Read more here.
The End of Spectrum ‘Scarcity'
Opportunistic Access to the Airwaves
The Wireless Future Program hosted an event with leading technology and policy experts who believe dynamic, opportunistic access to underutilized spectrum – especially federal government bands – is feasible if we can only muster the political will. You can visit the event page here.
The Wireless Future Program also released four new papers on the subject:
The End of Spectrum Scarcity: Building on the TV Bands Database to Access Unused Public Airwaves
By Michael Calabrese, Director, Wireless Future Program
Revitalizing the Public Airwaves:
Opportunistic Unlicensed Reuse of Government Spectrum
By Victor Pickard and Sascha Meinrath, Director, Open Technology Initiative
New Approaches to Private Sector Sharing of Federal Government Spectrum
By Michael J. Marcus, Principal, Marcus Spectrum Solutions
A Potential Alliance for World-Wide Dynamic Spectrum Access: DSA as an Enabler of National Dynamic Spectrum Management
By Preston F. Marshall, Director, Information Sciences Institute, Viterbi School of Engineering, USC and Former Program Manager, DARPA
Next Generation Communications
Press
| Headline | Date |
|---|---|
| New America Foundation Announces Its First Knight Media Policy Fellow | November 12, 2009 |
| DC Public Interest Community Urges FCC to Not Allow Selectable Output Control Restrictions | November 5, 2009 |
| Biggest Net Neutrality Boosters Question FCC Proposal | Washington Post | November 2, 2009 |
| Setting the Table for the National Broadband Plan | BroadbandCensus.com | October 30, 2009 |
| Network Engineers Question Need for Net Neutrality Rules | PC World | October 29, 2009 |
| A Nutrition Box for Internet service? | Washington Post | October 29, 2009 |
| Schumer Box Idea | Ars Technica | October 20, 2009 |
| Washington Technorati Toast Public Knowledge and Its IP3 Awards | BroadbandCensus.com | October 15, 2009 |
| Consumer Groups Criticize Broadband Providers for Advertising Practices ... | BroadbandCensus.com | October 15, 2009 |
| Federal Government Calls for Broadband Transparency | TMC Net | October 13, 2009 |
More:
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FCC Filings
Click here for a list of all of our FCC filings.
The Wireless Future Program, along with allies in the public interest and high-tech communities, frequently submits comments in Federal Communications Commission proceedings of relevance to our policy goals.
About Us
New America's Wireless Future Program develops and advocates policy proposals to promote universal, affordable and ubiquitous broadband and improve the public’s access to critical wireless communication technologies. It seeks to promote fair and efficient use of the airwaves to unlock the full potential of the wireless age for all Americans. In each economic era wealth creation has been driven by specific resources. In the agricultural era it was land; in the industrial era, it was energy. Today the American people collectively own the most valuable resource of the emerging information economy: the public airwaves, also known as the electromagnetic spectrum. As the world goes wireless, access to the airwaves is the “oil of the information age;” indeed, economists estimate the commercial value of existing licenses at over $750 billion. Unfortunately, our nation’s antiquated spectrum policies have created artificial spectrum scarcity that reduces innovation and competition, inhibits the rapid deployment of universal affordable wireless broadband services, and sacrifices many billions of dollars in public revenue.
A more-detailed program description is available here.
Program Staff
- Michael Calabrese
Vice President and Director, Wireless Future Program - Sascha Meinrath
Research Director, Wireless Future Program; Director, Open Technology Intiative - Benjamin Lennett
Policy Analyst, Wireless Future Program
