Spectrum

I am often asked by cities about the option of building a municipal fixed wireless broadband network. My response has been that it’s possible but that the resulting network is probably not going to satisfy the performance goals most cities have in mind. There are several limitations of fixed wireless technology in an urban that must be considered:

In 2023, broadband policy debates will center on how states expend tens of billions of dollars to deploy broadband networks in unserved and underserved areas, most through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. But that will not be the most consequential broadband deployment of the year.

I want to take on the phrase ‘technology-neutral’. This phrase is being used to justify building technologies that are clearly not as good as fiber. The phrase was used a lot to justify allowing Starlink into the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) reverse auction.

Cell network coverage maps have always been dubiously accurate in the US, and even the ones released by the Federal Communication Commission in 2021 come with a ton of asterisks. A company called Ranlytics is hoping to make a much more accurate picture by attaching equipment to some of the mail trucks that are already driving to many locations in the US to deliver parcels and letters.

The wireless industry is out with a new paper that claims, “The bias [towards fiber to the home] ‘could increase costs by upwards of $30 to $60 billion depending on the distribution of fiber deployment costs for the unserved locations.’” It also says “[excluding unlicensed fixed wireless] ‘unambiguously adds’ at least 1.9 million new locations calling for government-funded overbuilding with [Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment] BEAD funds”. As both my 

The committee's oversight plan for the 118th Congress. Concerning "Communications and Technology Issues," the committee will focus on the following:

The Federal Communications Commission's International Bureau granted, subject to conditions, the application of Kuiper Systems LLC for modification of its license for a non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite constellation providing fixed-satellite service (FSS) and Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) using Ka-band radio frequencies. Specifically, the bureau grants Kuiper’s request for approval of its updated orbital debris mitigation plan, thereby satisfying a condition of the FCC's action in 2020 conditionally granting Kuiper’s request to deploy and operate its NGSO system. This decision will

Around the country, there are now elaborate alert systems in areas subject to tornados and other dangerous weather events.

T-Mobile US reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2022 results, delivering industry-leading postpaid service revenue and cash flow growth in 2022, enabling the Un-carrier to begin shareholder returns earlier than planned. T-Mobile further extended its fame for value while translating its 5G lead into overall network leadership for the first time, resulting in the company’s lowest ever annual postpaid phone churn along with industry-best and record high postpaid account, postpaid customer and broadband customer growth in 2022.

The federal government’s use of spectrum dates back to the beginning when radio frequencies were used to communicate—and so does the policy question of how to apportion spectrum access between government and private uses. The federal government has important missions that require the use of the electromagnetic spectrum. But federal spectrum lacks market discipline and profit motives, so it does not tend toward efficient use. Six proposals to improve upon this include the following: