The Office of Engineering & Technology has started its outreach to broadcasters to build support for its proposal that unlicensed devices be permitted to use white spaces between TV channels. OET has offered as a potential inducement that broadcasters be permitted to offer wireless broadband services as a new business line in return for signing off on the proposal.
The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), which has raised red flags about federal law enforcement’s March filing addressing CALEA in an Internet age, met this week with FCC Comrs. Martin and Adelstein. According to an ex parte filing describing the meeting, CDT said the FBI “has refused to engage in a dialogue that might reveal what problems (if any) need to be addressed.” CDT said the language of the statute should be construed strictly -- that CALEA covers telecom common carriers but not information services. CDT staff Counsel John Morris told us Fri. the group also has meetings set up with Comrs. Abernathy and Copps. “Our conversations so far have been constructive,” Morris said. “I believe the commissioners are concerned about possible harmful implications for the Internet…. It’s also fair to say we've not walked away from those meetings confident that the FCC won’t go down the CALEA path. They mostly listened to what we had to say without indicating where the Commission is headed.”
Verizon Wireless told the FCC late Wed. Nextel’s most recent offer to give public safety 2 MHz of spectrum is suspect and may not address emergency responder needs for unencumbered spectrum. The filing came as Chmn. Powell continues to ponder an 800 MHz rebanding order. Nextel accused Verizon of taking a “cheap shot.”
The FCC is expected to release a public notice as early as today (Fri.) establishing an auction starting in 6 months of 2,400 MHz of spectrum divided among multiple locations, including spectrum returned by NextWave. Major wireless carriers made a last-min. push to open all licenses to all carriers and do away with designated entities (DE) restrictions. But those efforts largely fell flat in recent days, sources said.
The Bush Administration, in a letter signed by NTIA acting Dir. Michael Gallagher, said Wed. the Bell companies should continue to offer current UNE-P wholesale prices for “a full year,” ensuring a smooth transition for consumers. That period would be longer than the transition period on the table as offered by the Bells (CD June 16 p1).
With WiMax potentially at the breakthrough point, the WiMax Forum is putting much of its emphasis on establishing a certification program for products, similar to a good housekeeping seal of approval, officials said. As carriers start to launch WiMax services, the forum is gently reminding the public that so far no products have been certified.
Mass. and other states are poised to pass legislation to protect the privacy of consumers involved with radio frequency identification (RFID), State Sen. Jarrett Barrios (D-Cambridge) warned an Information Technology Assn. of America (ITAA) conference Tues. Barrios, chmn. of the Senate Public Safety Committee, advised attendees that unless industry develops rules on its own the govt. will step in.
BOSTON -- The ITU’s Task Group 1/8 meetings will ultimately lead to a worldwide agreement on ultra-wideband, though the glide path may not always be smooth, NTIA acting Dir. Michael Gallagher said last week at the meeting, which is continuing here through the end of this week.
The coalition of major law enforcement groups supporting the original “consensus” 800 MHz rebanding plan Mon. sent a letter to the FCC supporting the revised version filed by Nextel last week. The group also took a shot at Verizon Wireless, which criticized the plan after it was floated June 7.
BOSTON -- FCC Chmn. Powell Wed. opened a major international meeting here on ultra wideband with a plea for the group to move forward with an international agreement. In coming days, ITU’s Task Group 1/8 will try to hammer out a consensus on UWB in a rare meeting outside Geneva. Powell told delegates that while balancing interests presents major “challenges” for regulators “the promise of UWB technology is simply too great to do otherwise.”