Well, the spectrum war isn’t over. There’s still the matter of what to do about unused “white space.” And mull the FCC will, on November 4. Also known as Election Day. What the verdict will be, according to Kim Dixon of Reuters, hinges on the effectiveness of media executives in combating FCC Chairman Kevin Martin’s previously stated plan to do as Google, Microsoft, Motorola wish him and his fellow commissioners to.
And there’s now another chairman’s words to consider here, too, this time from John Dingell (D), the head of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Dingell evidently has heeded opposition over the planned opening of spectrum that has been voiced by the likes of ABC, CBS, NBC, as well as Major League Baseball and NASCAR.
Hazlett and Smith wrote that “The TV band is pathetically under-utilized. The problem is historical, but is increasingly exacerbated by the emergence of valuable new wireless technologies that are blocked due to artificial spectrum scarcity.” Meanwhile, sports leagues are said to fear “possible interference issues.” (FCC field testing showed “no major interference problems.”)
What advocates of open spectrum say they wish for is a place within the spectrum in which to operate “a new generation of wireless devices.” There is the sense that broadband could be delivered to areas of the country at lower cost than traditional distribution methods over copper or fiber would allow.