All Publications
Lightsquared, LTE-U and the Revenge of the ‘Anti-Commons’
Many have feared that unlicensed spectrum would suffer from a “tragedy of the commons,” in which the spectrum becomes congested as more users dive in without regard to their effects on other users. Engineers and others have worked hard to prevent that outcome.
LightSquared is no Solyndra
The continued growth of wireless broadband depends in large part on the availability of spectrum. A recent study estimates that by 2019 the U.S. will need more than 350 additional megahertz of licensed spectrum to support projected commercial mobile wireless demand – 50% more than is currently available.
Lifeline Reforms Present Opportunity to Improve Efficiency
The reforms to the Lifeline program proposed by the Federal Communications Commissions “are advertised as necessary because broadband access has become a more important communications tool than simple voice service,” explains Scott Wallsten, Technology Policy Institute Vice President for Research and Senior Fellow, in comments filed today with the FCC. “But the reforms present an opportunity to dramatically improve the efficiency of the program.” The comments were drafted and filed with John W. Mayo and Olga Ukhaneva from the Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy.