dailywireless.org » The AWS & 700MHz Dance

The AWS & 700MHz Dance

Morgan O’Brien, chairman of Cyren Call Communications has a plan to create a new nationwide first responder network using the (public) 700 MHz frequencies that would otherwise be auctioned off in 2008.

The plan calls for a reallocation of 30 MHz in the upper 700 MHz band of spectrum, which is half of the spectrum scheduled to be auctioned in 2008 for commercial use. At 700 MHz, signals can travel 30 miles, penetrate walls, and be sent and received without a direct line of sight.

This network would connect all communities — urban and rural — in the event of an emergency, and it would have a satellite component so responders could stay in touch even if land-based systems failed.

“This solution is practical, workable and very time sensitive,” O’Brien said. “If the auction proceeds, we will have lost our last real chance to create a network that will protect our first responders and all the rest of us who depend on them during times of greatest need and duress.”

The plan, which was submitted to the Federal Communications Commission April 27, calls for the FCC, with Congress’ approval, to designate a public safety trust licensee and create a public-private partnership to finance the venture. The licensee would lease access to this spectrum to commercial operators who would agree to build and maintain the network. In exchange, they would have the right to use the excess capacity of the network not used by public safety.

The partnership, O’Brien said, would “produce powerful incentives for commercial operators to create a robust, competitive network that serves their own business interests while supplementing the existing flawed emergency communications system with a new platform that will serve our first responders well.”

“Business as usual is no longer acceptable,” O’Brien continued. “It’s time to show creativity and commitment to solve this problem.”

Cyren Call proposes that the FCC establish a Public Safety Broadband Trust (PSBT) to hold the license for this 30 MHz block and to structure innovative arrangements for its shared use, placing the needs of public safety first and commercial usage second.

Another potential user of the 700Mhz band is the massive $10 billion Integrated Wireless Network which would use interoperable Project 25 VHF radios with a nationwide, IP backbone. IWN will support more than 80,000 agents and officers responsible for law enforcement, protective services, homeland defense and disaster response missions. Jointly managed by the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Treasury, the $10 Billion network would use narrowband radios that only deliver about 30Kbps. Lockheed Martin will compete for the Integrated Wireless Network (IWN) contract.

But the Integrated Wireless Network uses narrowband Project 25 radios. Laptops and PDAs require broadband for maps, data and video. There’s not enough space on the 24Mhz swath of 700 MHz public safety frequencies to please everyone. Ten billion dollars many not be enough.

The Cyren Call 700 MHz plan seems clever (on several levels). Whether it will fly remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, three Silicon Valley venture capital firms are backing a project to grab a slice of the AWS band scheduled to be auctioned by the FCC next month. M2Z, a company funded by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Charles River Ventures and Redpoint Ventures, each with more than $1.5 billion under management, are plans to launch a nationwide network.

Most wireless spectrum is auctioned to the highest bidder but M2Z has offered to pay the U.S. Treasury 5 percent of its gross revenues from the premium broadband service. It also plans to offer free, but slower, advertising sponsored Internet access.

The airwaves, from 2155Mhz to 2175 Mhz, are being vacated and have been allocated for advanced wireless services. M2Z argued they would lay fallow for years since they are not paired with other airwaves.

The Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) auction will be held on June 29th. AWS spectrum is really designed to merge with other 3G spectrum plans internationally. 3G uses 5 Mhz wide, W-CDMA. That would help T-Mobile and San Antonio-based Cingular. A total of 90 MHz is available in the 1710-1755/2110-2150 MHz band, (mostly duplex) as well as 2150-2155 MHz (simplex).

Block	Total MHz	Pairings	Geographic Area
A	20	1710-1720 and 2110-2120 MHz	Economic Area (EA)
B	20	1720-1730 and 2120-2130 MHz	Regional Economic Area Group (REAG)
C	10	1730-1735 and 2130-2135 MHz	REAG
D	10	1735-1740 and 2135-2140 MHz	Cellular Market Area (CMA)
E	30	1740-1755 and 2140-2155 MHz	REAG

The FCC will auction 1,122 AWS licenses. Each license made available will provide 10 or 20 MHz and will be licensed to one of three classes of geographical areas. These will include 734 smaller Cellular Market Areas (CMAs), 352 intermediate-sized Economic Areas (EAs) and 36 of the largest Regional Economic Areas Groupings (REAGs). The process will provide licenses for over 700 smaller markets across the country, together with 36 licenses that could be aggregated to provide national coverage.

While AWS may look like Richard Wiley’s gift to Cingular, it may also open up the spectrum for new entrants. M2Z Networks is co-founded by former FCC wireless chief John Muleta. Former FCC Chaiman Reed Hundt says 700 MHz is best for broadband wireless and thinks the FCC ought to open it up. Ex FCC chair Bill Kennard’s Caryle Group may have missed out on this one.

M2Z asked the FCC to grant it a 15-year license so it can offer free 512 kilobits per second broadband service that would be supported by advertising. Consumers would have to buy a “low-cost” receiver to use the service. Faster rates of broadband access would also be available for a subscription, the company said.

M2Z’s plan could be controversial since the FCC usually sells wireless airwaves through auctions. Next month’s auction could raise $8 billion to $15 billion, say analysts.

M2Z may face challenges from the wireless telephone, traditional telephone and cable industries, which are fiercely competing for broadband customers. It could also be fun to watch retired FCC chiefs go at it.

“We see no reason why the FCC should revisit their decision to allocate and auction this valuable spectrum for advanced wireless services,” said Joseph Farren, a spokesman for CTIA, the trade association that represents major wireless carriers.

So far, the FCC has yet to officially comment on M2Z’s proposal.

Meanwhile, representatives from Microsoft, Intel and Dell are pressing the FCC to allow internet access in unused television spectrum. The so-called white spaces are the unused television channels available. S 2686, the Communications, Consumer’s Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act, a wide-ranging telecom reform bill, to be debated Thursday in the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, would set a deadline for the FCC to finish the white spaces proceeding.