The FCCs Wireless Broadband Access Task Force has recommended speeding the rollout of wireless broadband services to consumers across America.
Chairman Powell created the Task Force in May of 2004. Comprised of a team of multidisciplinary staff from across several FCC Bureaus and Offices, the Task Force examined technological developments in wireless broadband, surveyed existing and anticipated applications, and conducted a comprehensive review of the Commission’s wireless broadband policies.
In fulfilling its mission, the Task Force actively sought the experience, expertise, and advice of consumers, state and local governments, industry (such as equipment manufacturers and service providers), and other stakeholders across the nation.
Based upon its research, outreach efforts, and public input, the Task Force has concluded: “To ensure that our nation’s regulatory policies concerning wireless broadband do not impede innovation or delay service availability across America, the FCC should be vigilant and proactive in identifying and understanding emerging technologies and in ensuring that existing regulatory policies do not get in the way of these advances.
Innovative technologies call for innovative regulatory policies. And the American public benefits most when regulatory policies enable consumers and businesses to fully tap the benefits of emerging wireless technologies.”
Among the recommendations:
- Promote voluntary frequency coordination efforts by private industry for license-exempt spectrum – such as those already successfully underway in some of the more congested parts of the country.
- Promote voluntary industry “best practices” among unlicensed users to maximize the potential opportunities for spectrum use.
- Facilitate reporting of violations of technical rules for license-exempt spectrum (e.g., improper power boosting and jamming) to ensure level playing field and minimize impermissible interference
- Expedite the transition of the digital television (DTV) spectrum for advanced wireless services and public safety, given that the spectrum in the 700 MHz band is ideal for mobile broadband applications. In the meantime, the Task Force also recommends that the Commission consider additional mechanisms for allowing 700 MHz channels to be used for wireless broadband services before the completion of the DTV transition.
- Ensure that FCC rules are flexible enough to allow providers to pair spectrum asymmetrically to account for the unbalanced nature of broadband services, which typically requires a large amount of bandwidth for downstream communications, and less bandwidth for upload links.
- Apply a pro-competitive, innovative national framework for wireless broadband services – one that imposes the fewest regulatory barriers at both the federal and state level.
The Task Force recommended that the Commission consider several options for achieving this goal, including classifying wireless broadband either as an “information service” or an “interstate” service, or clarifying the scope of the deregulatory principles applied to Commercial Mobile Radio Services (CMRS) – which enabled the rapid success of mobile voice and data services over the last decade.
- Continue to take a pro-active, forward looking approach to regulation as wireless broadband networks begin to be used in combination with other broadband service networks and services.
- Build upon and improve specific existing FCC outreach efforts (e.g. with federal, state & local governmental organizations).
The FCC avoided the controversial issue of municipally-run city clouds.
