Derived From: FTC Report: Should Municipalities Provide Wireless Internet Service? p. 8-9 Oct 2006

“Wireless fidelity” (“Wi-Fi”) is the most commonly used wireless Internet standard today. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark term promoted by the Wi-Fi Alliance, a group of wireless Internet hardware and software providers that certify “802.11” products for network interoperability. An 802.11 network refers to a family of specifications approved by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (“IEEE”) in 1997 for a wireless, over-the-air interface Local Area Network (“WLAN”). Generally, computer users can access the Internet with a high speed wireless connection if they are within 300 feet of a transmitting antenna and have the appropriate receiving hardware installed in their computer. Wi-Fi provides data transmission at speeds of up to 11-54 Mbps. Wi-Fi is commonly used to provide wireless Internet “hot spot” connections in coffee shops, airports, and on university campuses. The number of Wi-Fi hot spots in the U.S. has grown exponentially in recent years and may now number as many as 150,000, with approximately 30 million users.

"Wi-Fi networks can be set up by installing multiple toaster-size antennas on street lights, traffic signals, and buildings, so that multiple wireless hotspots overlap each other to form a continuous “mesh” network of wireless signals. In order to provide an initial connection to the Internet and to manage network traffic, “backbone” technology (also called “backhaul” technology) must be installed at one or more points connected to the network. The installation of such a wireless network may be less expensive than installing a wireline network of the same size. ... (See Municipal Broadband)

"A user must have a computer or other device that is configured for wireless Internet use. Newer laptop computers often have such wireless connectivity built-in to them at the factory. Older computers may be adapted through the addition of a wireless Internet “card.” "

Derived From: Kenneth Carter, Ahmed Lahjouji, Neal McNeal, Unlicensed and Unshackled: A Joint OSP-OET White Paper on Unlicensed Devices and Their Regulatory Issues, OSP Working Paper 39 p 30 (May 2004)

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology that allows devices to interact at a range of up to 30 feet with a maximum transmission speed of 1 Mbps. Bluetooth is named for 10th Century Danish King who united the nation and is a trademark for the standard promulgated by a trade association called the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG).51 Bluetooth was initially envisioned as a cable replacement technology and is primarily used to connect computer devices and peripherals. For example, a mobile phone equipped with a Bluetooth chipset can be used to exchange information such as telephone number lists with a Bluetooth enabled laptop. Similarly, Bluetooth can be used to link a desktop PC to a nearby printer without need for unsightly wires.

Bluetooth is now gaining acceptance for applications other than cable replacement. For instance, Delphi Corporation recently displayed Bluetooth technology in a new Saab 9-3. With Bluetooth, drivers can connect a wireless headset to a mobile telephone and operate more safely in a "hands free" mode, or connect to a PDA right from the vehicle. Bluetooth, coupled with other wireless technologies, is also expected to permit a driver to communicate from an automobile to an external computer or even a home networking systems. Accordingly, a driver will eventually be able to download music, for instance, from a home network and enjoy the music during his commute to work.

Derived From: Kenneth Carter, Ahmed Lahjouji, Neal McNeal, Unlicensed and Unshackled: A Joint OSP-OET White Paper on Unlicensed Devices and Their Regulatory Issues, OSP Working Paper 39 (May 2004)

Types of Part 15 Intentional Radiators

• General Low Power Devices: Low power devices are permitted to operate in a variety of specific bands and they emit only minimal levels of RF energy. Products such as baby monitors, garage door openers, and toy
  wireless microphones fall into this category.
• Spread Spectrum and Digitally Modulated Devices Spread spectrum transmitters generally use a code sequence to spread a normally narrow band information signal over a wider band of frequencies. This allows for more devices to operate in a given frequency band and thus promotes spectrum efficiency. Many new cordless phones use spread spectrum techniques. Systems that use new forms of digital modulation techniques that have spectral occupancy characteristics similar to spread spectrum devices are also permitted to operate under the same rules as spread spectrum devices.
• Unlicensed PCS Devices: Unlicensed Personal Communications Services devices use digital modulation techniques for transmission. Service requirements reserve some frequencies for voice communication while the remaining spectrum is allocated for high-speed data transfer applications. U-PCS is widely used for wireless intra-office telephone systems like wireless PBX systems.
• Unlicensed NII Devices: Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure devices also use digital modulation techniques similar to spread spectrum devices. They are intended to provide short-range, high-speed
  wireless digital communications such as wireless local area networks (“W-LANs”) [including WiFi], and to facilitate wireless access to the National Information Infrastructure.
  • In 1997, the FCC again amended the Part 15 rules, this time to provide for operation of Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII)15 devices in the 5 GHz Frequency Range (5.15-5.35 GHz and 5.725-5.825 GHz). Once more, the FCC recognized that developments in a number of different digital technologies greatly increased the need to transfer large amounts of data from one network or system to another. In making this spectrum available, the FCC concluded that providing additional spectrum for unlicensed wideband operation would benefit a vast number of medical, educational, business, and industrial users. U-NII devices use digital modulation techniques similar to spread spectrum devices. They are intended to provide short-range, high-speed wireless digital communications such as wireless local area networks ("W-LANs"), and to facilitate wireless access to the National Information Infrastructure. With the use of a high- gain directional antenna, these devices may be used to complete point-to-point links of over 1 kilometer. [p. 8]
• Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Devices - Ultra-Wideband (“UWB”), a technology recently approved (February, 2002) by the FCC for a number of communications and sensing applications, is a signaling method which relies on extremely short pulses that generate signals with very wide bandwidths, sometimes up to several gigahertz. UWB signals go undetected by most conventional receivers, minimizing their threat as harmful interferers. UWB technologies are currently being used in a variety of applications such as ground penetrating radar and are likely to be used in a variety of emerging applications such as through-wall imaging and high-speed data transmission.

Commons Property Regime:

Part 15 spectrum is "unlicensed." Anyone can transmit and operate in this spectrum with appropriate certified devices as long as they comply with the conditions of operations. "Persons operating intentional or unintentional radiators shall not be deemed to have any vested or recognizable right to continued use of any given frequency..." They cannot cause harmful interference to others and they must accept interference. Operators in Part 15 spectrum obtain no superior rights; while anyone may use the spectrum, no one may exclude others from using the spectrum.

In terms of property rights, this spectrum is a "commons." All have access to the resource - no one can exclude others from the resource - and the use of the resource is potentially rivalrous (the use of the resource by one detracts from the use of the resource by others, leading to a potential "tragedy of the commons"). [Faulhaber p 204 ("Part 15 spectrum has property rights akin to that of a commons: an asset availabe for the use of all, with common restrictions governing use restrictions for all" p 208 "'building fences' of property rights violates the commons principle.")] [Sicker p 3 ("Unlicensed wireless commons seems to fit more closely the model of a common resource pool, since additional users cannot be precluded from turning on their radios, but as users are added, the ability to communicate diminishes with increasing mutual interference.")] [Benkler 1998 p 7 ("This UNII Band, as it is called, creates a legal space for the first broadband infrastructure commons.")]

The FCC itself did not refer to this spectrum as a "commons." Its justification for the creation of the UNII bands as unlicensed rested primarily on the fact that these would be very short ranged services and "like other existing unlicensed devices, we believe that trying to license UNII devices individually would be administratively difficult if not impossible for both the Commission and the consujmer and would greatly delay the implementation and use of this band by UNII devices." Therefore UNII is "more amenable to an unlicensed structure." UNII Order 1997 para 87.

License regimes had been put into place for the purpose of avoiding interference. [Faulhaber] Now the policy objective of avoiding interference would be achieved through (a) low powered short range transmitters and (b) the creation of a radio ettiquette such that radios would technologically avoid interference.

The reality of the "tragedy of the commons" in Part 15 spectrum has been questionable. [Sicker] The classic tragedy of the commons is a common grassland where cattle graze. As all farmers have an incentive to utilize this resource to the fullest possible extent, and no farmers have an incentive to either conserve or replenish the grass in the grassland, the common land will be over grazed, the grass will be depleted, and no grass will be left for others. The distinction, however, between grassland and Part 15 spectrum is that with grassland, if the grass is depleted in one moment, it takes several months to grow back. With spectrum, if the bandwidth unavailable in one moment, it can be fully available in the next, fully "replenished."

How Common Goods relate to other types of property:

	Excludable	Non Excludable
Rivalrous	Private Goods ex: food, clothing, toys, furniture, cars	Common Goods ex: water, fish, hunting game, Part 15 spectrum
Non Rivalrous	Club Goods Ex: Cable Television	Public Goods Ex: National Defense, free-to-ari TV

Source: Wikipedia Common-Pool Resource

 

Regulations

Part 15 dates back to 1938, originally created to cover "wireless phonographs." [Faulhaber p 204] While users of Part 15 spectrum do not need licenses, Part 15 devices must first be certified by the FCC. Part 15 devices also generally operate at low power limits.

• 47 CFR Part 15 Subpart A
  • 47 CFR § 15.1 Scope of this part
    • This part sets out the regulations under which an intentional, unintentional, or incidental radiator may be operated without an individual license. It also contains the technical specifications, administrative requirements and other conditions relating to the marketing of part 15 devices.
  • 47 CFR § 15.5 General Conditions of Operation
    • (a) Persons operating intentional or unintentional radiators shall not be deemed to have any vested or recognizable right to continued use of any given frequency by virtue of prior registration or certification of equipment, or, for power line carrier systems, on the basis of prior notification of use pursuant to §90.63(g) of this chapter.

      (b) Operation of an intentional, unintentional, or incidental radiator is subject to the conditions that no harmful interference is caused and that interference must be accepted that may be caused by the operation of an authorized radio station, by another intentional or unintentional radiator, by industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) equipment, or by an incidental radiator.

      (c) The operator of a radio frequency device shall be required to cease operating the device upon notification by a Commission representative that the device is causing harmful interference. Operation shall not resume until the condition causing the harmful interference has been corrected.

      (d) Intentional radiators that produce Class B emissions (damped wave) are prohibited.

  • 47 CFR § 15.9 Prohibition Against Eavesdropping
    • Except for the operations of law enforcement officers conducted under lawful authority, no person shall use, either directly or indirectly, a device operated pursuant to the provisions of this part for the purpose of overhearing or recording the private conversations of others unless such use is authorized by all of the parties engaging in the conversation.
• 47 CFR Subpart C Intentional Radiators
• 47 CFR § 15.245-248 Operation within the bands 902-928 MHz, 2435-2465 MHz, 5785-5815 MHz, 10500-10550 MHz, and 24075-24175 MHz
• 47 CFR § 15.247
  • Summary Rural ISP Workshop Julius Knapp, FCC OET , presentation
    • Provides for frequency hopping systems and digital transmission systems
    • Power limit: Up to 1 Watt output power
    • Power reduction for high-gain antennas (omni vs. pt.-to-pt.)
    • Out-of-band & spurious emissions limits
    • Antenna must be permanently attached or unique connector
    • IEEE 802.11(b) & (g), Bluetooth operate under these rules in the 2.4 GHz band.
• 47 CFR Subpart E Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure Devices
  • 47 CFR § 15.401 Scope
    • This subpart sets out the regulations for unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) devices operating in the 5.15-5.35 GHz, 5.47-5.725 GHz and 5.725-5.825 GHz bands.
  • 47 CFR § 407 General Technical Requirements

VoIP

• VoIP over Wifi could substitute up to 60% of mobile usage as quality improves. Substitutability at home, work, and partially other indoor. Not substitutable for other locations and car. Could reduce mobile phone costs $6-12. - Stagg Newman, State of Tech Dev, TAC July 2006

Federal Activity

• Continental Airlines Petition for Declaratory Ruling re Antenna Installations, FCC 8/30/2005
  • 11/1/06 Petition for Declaratory Ruling Regarding the Over-the-Air Reception Devices (OTARD) Rules. Order: Word | Acrobat
    Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
    Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
  • Logan Airport, Continental In Spat Over Free Wi-Fi, Information Week 8/5/2005
  • Continental Urges Presidents Club Members to Write FCC, Wifi Networking News 8/19/2005
• Remarks of Commissioner Adelstein at WISPCON VII on March 21, 2005, "WISPs: Providing Opportunities for Rural America through Access to Broadband.", FCC 4/1/2005
• Vermont Telecommunications Plan, Sept 2004 p. 1-13 - 1-14.
• Released: 04/04/2005. UNLICENSED PCS DEVICES WILL NO LONGER BE SUBJECT TO COORDINATION REQUIREMENTS AFTER APRIL 4, 2005. (DA No. 05-1005). OET. Contact: Joe Dichoso at (301) 362-3024, email: Joe.Dichoso@fcc.gov or Jamison Prime at (202) 418-7474, email: Jamison.Prime@fcc.gov. News Media Contact: Bruce Romano at (202) 418-2124, FCC 4/5/2005
• 09/03/2004. OFFICE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY DECLARES MBOA-SIG REQUEST FOR A WAIVER OF PART 15 FOR AN ULTRA-WIDEBAND SYSTEM TO BE A "PERMIT-BUT-DISCLOSE" PROCEEDING FOR EX PARTE PURPOSES. (Dkt No 04-352) Erratum to Public Notice DA04-2793, released on August 30, 2004. Comments Due: 09/29/2004. Reply Comments Due: 10/14/2004. OET. Contact: John Reed at (202) 418-2455, FCC 9/7/2004
• UNLICENSED OPERATION IN THE TV BROADCAST BANDS/ADDITIONAL SPECTRUM FOR UNLICENSED DEVICES BELOW 900 MHZ IN THE 3 GHZ BAND. Granted a 90 day extension of the comment and reply comment deadlines. By Order Granting Extension of Time. (Dkt No. 02-380 , 04-186). Action by: Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology. Comments Due: 11/30/2004. Reply Comments Due: 12/30/2004. Adopted: 08/25/2004 by ORDER. (DA No. 04-2655). OET, FCC 9/7/2004
• FCC Changes Rules to Promote Use of Unlicensed Broadband Service in Rural Areas., FCC 7/13/2004
• Unlicensed Operation of the 3650-3700 Band, Fed Reg 5/18/2004
• UNLICENSED OPERATION IN THE BAND 3650-3700 MHZ ET AL. Proposed amending rules to maximize the efficient use of the 3650-3700 band and foster the introduction of new and advanced services. (Dkt No. 98-237 , 02-380). Action by: the Commission. Adopted: 04/15/2004 by NPRM. (FCC No. 04-100). OET, FCC 4/23/2004
• Released: 06/24/2004. COMMISSION STAFF CLARIFIES FCC'S ROLE REGARDING RADIO INTERFERENCE MATTERS AND ITS RULES GOVERNING CUSTOMER ANTENNAS AND OTHER UNLICENSED EQUIPMENT. (DA No. 04-1844). OET. Contact: James Miller at (202) 418-7351, email: James.Miller@fcc.gov, FCC 6/29/2004
• NTIA has invited interested parties to file comments on an expansion of the 3650-3700 MHz band to unlicensed devices for wireless broadband applications such as WiFi while protecting federal operations in those bands from interference or other adverse effects. Comments are due on or before February 27, 2004., NTIA 2/12/2004
• MODIFICATION OF PARTS 2 AND 15 OF THE COMMISSION'S RULES FOR UNLICENSED DEVICES AND EQUIPMENT APPROVAL. Issued Erratum correcting, FCC 03-223, released September 17, 2003. (Dkt No. 03-201). Action by: Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology. Adopted: 11/19/2003 by ERRATUM. (DA No. 03-3729). OET, FCC 11/21/2003
• REVISION OF PARTS 2 AND 15 OF THE COMMISSION'S RULES TO PERMIT UNLICENSED NATIONAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE (U-NII) DEVICES IN THE 5 GHZ BAND. Amended Part 15 of the rules to make an additional 255 Megahertz spectrum in this proceeding. (Dkt No. 03-122). Action by: the Commission. Adopted: 11/12/2003 by R&O. (FCC No. 03-287). OET, FCC 11/21/2003
• FCC PROPOSES CHANGES IN TECHNICAL REGULATIONS FOR UNLICENSED DEVICES TO FACILITATE DEPLOYMENT OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND TO STREAMLINE REGULATIONS TO INCREASE FLEXIBILITY. News Release. (Dkt No 03-201). Adopted: 09/10/2003. News Media Contact: Lauren Van Wazer at (202) 418-0030 OET. Contact Neal McNeil at (202) 418-2408, FCC 9/11/03
• FCC PROPOSES AMENDING CURRENT SPECTRUM REGULATIONS IN ORDER TO PROMOTE WIRELESS SERVICES IN RURAL AMERICA. The FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing ways to amend its spectrum regulations and policies in order to promote the continued rapid and efficient deployment of quality spectrum-based services in rural America. News Release. (Dkt No 03-202). Adopted: 09/10/2003. News Media Contact: Meribeth McCarrick at (202) 418-0654 WTB. Contact Nicole McGinnis at (202) 418-0317, email: Nicole.McGinnis@ fcc.gov or Wayne Leighton at (202) 418-0690, email: Wayne.Leighton@fcc.gov, FCC 9/11/03
• Unlicensed NOI - Should FCC permit unlicensed use of vacant TV spectrum and 3650 - 3700 MHz Band - comments due April 7
  • Derived From: Kenneth Carter, Ahmed Lahjouji, Neal McNeal, Unlicensed and Unshackled: A Joint OSP-OET White Paper on Unlicensed Devices and Their Regulatory Issues, OSP Working Paper 39 p 11 (May 2004)
    • In a further attempt to seek opportunities for shared-spectrum unlicensed operation, the FCC has initiated a proceeding to explore the possibility of permitting unlicensed devices to operate in the bands reserved for television broadcasting and also in newly available spectrum at 3650 - 3700 MHz.20 In December 2002, the Commission released a Notice of Inquiry ("NOI") seeking comment on the feasibility of such a proposal. The NOI observed that, there are many broadcast channels that remain unavailable for TV use in specific areas to avoid co-channel interference problems. One example is that Channel 4 is a broadcast channel in New York City and Channel 3 is a broadcast channel in Philadelphia. As a result, Channel 3 is vacant in New York City and Channel 4 is unused in Philadelphia. While high power TV stations in close proximity using the same frequencies would almost certainly interfere with each other (co-channel interference), low-power, unlicensed devices may be able to operate in those vacancies without the risk of producing harmful interference to TV broadcast stations many miles away. When considering the 3650 - 3700 MHz band, the FCC suggested that allowing unlicensed operation with minimal technical requirements could permit the development of innovative types of unlicensed devices, for instance with power levels exceeding 1 Watt, that would not be allowed to operate under the current rules elsewhere. Provided this proceeding leads to manageable implementation strategies, the spectrum available for unlicensed operation will once again increase.
• FCC Proposes Amendments to Part 15 Rules to Facilitate Deployment of New High Speed Wireless Devices, FCC News Release May 10, 2001
• ET Docket No 96-102, Report and Order, FCC 97-5 (released Jan. 9, 1997) ("UNII Order")
• ISM: Jan. 30, 1996 NPRM ET Docket 96-8 11 FCCRcd 3068 (1996) proposed to amend the rules regarding the operation of spread spectrum transmission systems in the 902-928 MHz, 2.400-2.4835 GHz and 5.725-5.850 GHz bands.

3650 - 3700 MHz

• FCC opens access to 3650-3700 MHz band, Muni 3/15/2005
• FCC Opens Access to New Spectrum for Wireless Broadband in the 3650 MHz Band. Press Release, FCC 3/11/2005
• FCC Adopts Rule Changes for Smart Radios. Press Release, FCC 3/11/2005
• FCC Protects Spectrum From Software Radio, eWeek 3/11/2005
• FCC Begins Rulemaking Proposing to Allow Wireless Broadband Operations in the 3650-3700 MHz Band., FCC 4/27/2004

FCC PROPOSES RULES TO FACILITATE WIRELESS BROADBAND SERVICES USING VACANT TV CHANNELS. The FCC proposed to allow unlicensed devices to operate in the broadcast television spectrum at locations where the spectrum is not in use by television stations. News Release. (Dkt No 02-380 , 04-186). Adopted: 05/13/2004. News Media Contact: Bruce Romano at (202) 418-2470 OET. Contact Hugh Van Tuyl at (202) 418-7506, email: Hugh.VanTuyl@fcc.gov., FCC 5/18/2004

Enforcement

• FCC Enforcement Bureau
• ARRL Collection of Enforcement Actions
• ISP Planet When the FCC Comes Knocking on your Door May 2002
• In Re Neptuno Networks, Inc., EB-06-SJ-022, NALF (Jan. 23, 2007)
  • In this Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture ("NAL"), we find that Neptuno Networks, Inc. ("Neptuno"), an Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) operator, in San Juan, PR, apparently willfully and repeatedly violated Section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended ("Act"), by operating unlicensed radio transmitters. We conclude, pursuant to Section 503(b) of the Act, that Neptuno is apparently liable for forfeiture in the amount of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000).
  • On May 18, June 6, June 8, and June 14, 2006, resident agents from the San Juan Office observed Neptuno operate U-NII devices within the 5.15-5.25 GHz band outdoors at three separate locations, in violation of Section 15.407(e) of the Rules. Neptuno admitted that it had been operating in this band outdoors at these locations for close to five years. Neptuno also admitted to operating in this band outdoors at approximately 68 other sites. On June 8 and June 14, 2006, resident agents observed Neptuno operate U-NII devices on 5.375 GHz, a frequency outside of the U-NII bands. Based on the evidence before us, we find that Neptuno failed to operate its U-NII devices in accordance with the requirements of Section 15.407 of the Rules.

Statistics

Timeline

• 2000: 802.11a (5.8 GHz Band) ratified
• 1999: Apple builds WiFi into iBook computers
• 1999: Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (Now WiFi Alliance) formed
• 1999: 802.11b (2.4GHz Band) ratified
• 1997: FCC UNII Order, ET Docket 96-102, FCC 9705 (Released Jan 9, 1997) (FCC designates 300 MHz in the 5 GHz range for high speed data transmission under Part 15 unlicensed regime
• 1997: IEEE 802.11 approves standard
• 1996: HomeRF established by Intel, Microsoft, HP, Compaq, and IBM
• 1991: Conference: Spread Spectrum: Potential Commercial Applications Myth or Reality, May 21-23 Quebed
• 1988: IEEE establishes committee for 802.11
• 1988: the RLAN Telesystem ARLAN-SST is released to the market
• 1985: Qualcomm incorporated
• 1985: FCC opens ISM to communications, permitting the first civil use of spread spectrum technologies.
• 1980: Potential Use of Spread Spectrum Techniques in Non-Government Applications, MITRE (Dec. 1, 1980) (commissioned by the FCC)
• 1975 Robert C. Dixon, Spred Spectrum System
• 1973 Mid East War involved an "unexpected" amount of communications EW (jamming) resulting in DoD interest in solutions

See M Marcus, Early Civil Spread Spectrum History

Papers

• ARRL FCC Part-15 Rules: Unlicensed RF Devices
• Arnon Tonmukayakul and Martin B. H. Weiss, A Transaction Cost Analysis of Secondary vs. Unlicensed Spectrum Use TPRC 2006
• Douglas C. Sicker, Dirk Grunwald, Eric Anderson, Christian Doerr, Brita Munsinger, Anmol Sheth, Examining The Wireless Commons TPRC 2006 ("In this paper we use measurements of wireless networks and show that a common metric that leads people to believe there is a tragedy really demonstrates nothing of the sort. We also show how system architecture determines how rapidly a tradegy occurs.")
• Weiser, Phil and Hatfield, Dale, "Policing the Spectrum Commons" . Fordham Law Review, Vol. 74 Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=704741
• Gerald R Faulhaber and David Farber, Spectrum Management: Property Rights, Markets, and the Commons Chapter 7 Rethinking Rights and Regulations: International responses to new communications technologies (MIT Press) Google Books
• Paper: Kevin Werbach, Towards a Unified Theory of Wireless Communication, SSRN 3/11/2004
• A brief history of WiFi, The Economist (Jun 10 2004) (ISM was known as the garbage band)
• Tim Pozar, Regulations Affecting 802.11 Deployment (2004) (nice compilation of relevant regulations)
• FCC: Unlicensed and Unshackled: A Joint OSP-OET White Paper On Unlicensed Devices and Their Regulatory Issues Kenneth R. Carter, Ahmed Lahjouji, and Neal McNeil, May 2003. [  Acrobat  |  News Release  |  Public Notice  ]
• An Architecture for Securing Wireless Networks by Gregory R.Scholz, Northrop Grumman Information Technology, IPJ 10/9/02
• Thomas Hazlett, 2001, "The Wireless Craze, the Unlimited Bandwidth Myth, the Spectrum Auction Faux Pas, and the Punchline to Ronald Coase's "Big Jokes": An Essay on Airwave Allocation Policy," Harvard J. Law & Tech, 14(2), Spring, 335-545
• David P. Reed, Why Spectrum is Not Property: The Case for an Entirely New Regime of Wireless Communications Policy, Reed’s Locus, Feb 27, 2001 (draft).
• Yochai Benkler, The Commons as a Neglected Factor of Information Policy, TPRC 1998
• Benkler, Yochai, 1997, Overcoming Agoraphobia: Building the Commons of the Digitally Networked Environment, 11 Harv. J. L & Tech.287 (Winter 1997-98).
• Heller, Michael, 1998, "The Tragedy of the Anticommons: Property in the Transition from Marx to Markets," 111 Harvard Law Review, 621-25.

Links

• Angel Technologies Corporation (Broadband via light airplane)
• FCC
• Office of Engineering and Technology, FCC
• Wireless Broadband Access Task Force
• Spectrum Policy Task Force
• Spectrum Policy Branch, Policy and Rules Division, Office of Engineering and Technology, FCC
• Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, FCC
• IEEE
  • 802.11 WiFi
• Airshare Community Networks
• FreeNetwork Wireless
• Free Press
• M Marcus, Early Civil Spread Spectrum History
• Part-15.org Wireless Internet Service Provider Organization
• Personal Communications Industry Association
• Wireless ISP Association
• Cellular Telephone Industry Association
• Making the Connection: 2004 National Summit for Community Wireless Networks webcasts will be uploaded
• Odessa Office Training Aids for WISPs
• Steve Stroh Focus On Broadband Wireless Internet Access
• SearchingNetwork
• WiFi Alliance
• Wi-Fi Hotspot Industry News & Info
• Wireless Communications Alliance
• Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance
• WISP Directory The WISP Directory is a global listing of wireless ISPs and WISP-related resources. The site also includes an industry-related news blog that's updated almost daily. The site also includes additional resources such as info on how to establish a WISP including an FAQ and a tradeshow & event calendar in addition to a subscription-based knowledge base for those interested in starting a WISP.
• Young Design, Inc, Michael Young

Notes

Unlicensed and Unleashed
ET Docket 03 126

Trends in part 15 device authorizations
1993   706
1994    914
1995    967
1996    1156
1997     1255
1998    1139
1999     1205
2000   1501
2001    1711
2002    2398  

Architectures:

• Hub & Spoke or Mesh
• Open or Closed
• Static or Dynamic

News