Spectrum Policy
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Presentation Transcript
TC 310 May 29, 2008 Spectrum Policy
Why Spectrum Still Matters • Former Use of Spectrum • Radio and Television • Current Use • Radio, Telephony, Internet • Mobility makes more sense
Legacies of Regulation • Government quickly regulates spectrum • “Hackers” • Titanic • Rationale • Interference • Scarcity • Challenge of rationales • Better tech, weaker arguments
Allocating Spectrum • FCC given this task • 1943 Communications Act • Divides spectrum for specific uses • Role of National Telecommunications and Information Administration • Role of International Telecom Union • Interactions make reforms difficult
Assigning Spectrum • FCC assigns spectrum to a licensee • Methods (initial only) • Comparative Hearing • Lotteries • Auctions • Strengths and Weaknesses
Challenging Spectrum Allocation • Rationale revisited • Underutilization of spectrum • Limited business plans • Low incentive to innovate • Fighting Incumbents • Government (NTIA), Military • Radio Incumbents • Television Incumbents • Ex. : Low Power FM on guard band
Property Rights Model • Treat spectrum like all property • Free market sells, leases, buys • Government • Define property rights • Enforce contracts • Maximal efficiency, no limits on use
Examples of Property Rights • Auctions instead of hearings • Not completely free though • Personal Communications Service • PCS allows any mobile comm • No technology limitations • Cannot be leased • Secondary Markets Order (2003) • FCC lifts some anti-leasing rules • Still great FCC oversight
Problems • Vacating Incumbents • Upper 700 MHz • Resistance in other areas • Enriching incumbents • Transition avoided due to unfair wealth • Fairness • Some paid, some did not • Public “Good Content” (PEG)
Commons Approach • Any and all use as commons • Improvements in tech weaken interference • Spread Spectrum (ranged frequencies) • Cognitive radio (microchip enabled) • Underlay transmission • Low power • White spaces • Guard Band • CB radio an example
Problems • Tragedy of the Commons • Use it up before its gone • Ramp up power, interference war • Forces investment in interference reduction • Significant regulation necessary to avoid tragedy
Influence on FCC • Creates Spectrum Policy Task Force • Leans towards property rights • Seeks some balance between two • Underlay devices free • Interference temperature • Minimal interference, not zero • Bands or spectrum • Incentive to innovate
Participation Time • Which works better for you, a commons approach or a property rights approach? • Is the current system really that bad? • Are there concepts in spectrum that seem familiar from other contexts? • Do you have concerns leaving spectrum to completely free markets? • Is current spectrum policy inconsistent with Telecom Act?