The future of the Internet is mobile. Therefore it is not surprising that a main goal of the Federal Communications Commission’s long-awaited National Broadband Plan is to increase the availability of electromagnetic spectrum–“the oxygen of mobile broadband service,” as FCC Chairman Genachowski put it in a recent speech. What is surprising is that the FCC’s current recommendation focuses on broadcasters and gives short shrift to what is potentially the largest source of additional spectrum–which is now occupied by the federal government.
Broadband
High-speed data connections, or broadband, are critical to the economy. Our work on broadband covers a wide range of topics, including the digital divide, wireline and wireless provision, spectrum, net neutrality, competition, and more.
TPI/Georgetown Event – The FCC’s National Broadband Plan: The Early Reaction
The Technology Policy Institute and the Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy are hosting a half-day event on March 23rd on the FCC’s newly announced National Broadband Plan. Experts from industry, academia and government will share their reaction to the Plan in two panel discussions focusing on the effects of the Plan on both investment and broadband penetration. The event will feature a keynote from Blair Levin, Executive Director of the FCC’s Omnibus Broadband Initiative.
Lenard Files Comments with the FCC In the Matter of Preserving the Open Internet Broadband Industry Practices
These comments supplement those that I submitted in response to the Commission‟s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Preserving the Open Internet during the initial comment period.2 The purpose of these reply comments is to address the recommendation of several public interest groups to reclassify broadband as a Title II service subject to traditional common carrier regulation.3 Press reports suggest that the Commission is seriously considering implementing this recommendation
Reclassifying Broadband as Title II Service Wrong Way to Go
TPI President Thomas Lenard urged the FCC not to reclassify broadband as a Title II service, as the agency reportedly is considering. Such a step, he wrote in comments submitted to the FCC, would “adversely affect innovation, investment, and consumer welfare, and would undermine the Commission’s goal of extending broadband penetration, particularly to underserved populations.” Lenard said his “earlier comments on the Open Internet NPRM apply even more strongly to the proposal to reclassify broadband as a Title II service.”
TPI EVENT TOMORROW: Increasing Spectrum for Broadband: FCC, Congressional Representatives Discuss Options
The expansion of wireless broadband is a bright spot in the U.S. economy, but a shortage of liberally licensed spectrum rights could put a crimp on this expansion. The freeing up of spectrum from other uses would allow greater expansion of wireless broadband and would bring substantial gains – likely in the hundreds of billions of dollars – for U.S. consumers, businesses, and the federal treasury. Developing a plan to increase the amount of spectrum for wireless broadband is a high priority of the FCC’s Omnibus Broadband Initiative, which is developing a national broadband plan. Failure to allocate sufficient spectrum will slow the rollout of broadband services, increase their prices, and cost consumers and taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. TPI has assembled a panel of experts to discuss the options.
Increasing Spectrum for Broadband: What Are The Options?
Increasing Spectrum for Broadband: What Are The Options?
More Spectrum Needed from Public and Private Sector
The growth of wireless broadband is a bright spot in the U.S. economy, but a shortage of flexibly licensed spectrum rights could put a crimp on this expansion, according to a new study released by the Technology Policy Institute. The study was coauthored by Thomas Lenard, president and senior fellow at TPI; Lawrence J. White, professor of economics at the NYU Stern School of Business; and James Riso, a research associate at TPI.
Enabling Efficient Wireless Communications: The Role of Secondary Spectrum Markets
Enabling Efficient Wireless Communications: The Role of Secondary Spectrum Markets
Lenard Files Comments with FCC on Preserving the Open Internet Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Lenard Files Comments with FCC on Preserving the Open Internet Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
FCC’s Open Internet Rules Should Not Be Adopted
The Federal Communications Commission should not adopt its proposed Open Internet Rules, according to comments by TPI president and senior fellow Thomas Lenard. Lenard argues that “the Commission has not provided evidence showing that the rules would address a significant problem or market failure, has not identified harms to users that the proposed rules would remedy, and has not demonstrated that the benefits of the proposed rules would exceed their costs.”