Comments on: Super Wi-Fi or white spaces, what’s up with unlicensed broadband?

By: Maurice Walshe

Maurice Walshe — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:29:12 +0000

Lol not heard of Rupert Murdoch and SKY have you – Ofcom was created expressly to keep Murdoch sweet – look at the way he’s lobbying to destroy the BBC

By: Trap Dipole

Trap Dipole — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:05:01 +0000

Little white space spectrum will be available in urban areas under the current scheme. Ironic that Wyoming wireless ISPs who detest Google and net neutrality might actually be in a position to use white space spectrum.

By: Steve Crowley

Steve Crowley — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 05:07:44 +0000

Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. I think Super Wi-Fi is an unauthorized use of the term.

By: Brent W. Hopkins

Brent W. Hopkins — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 19:13:22 +0000

All radio spectrum is a public resource owned by the people. Don’t be to quick to be a cheerleader for government giveaways of spectrum to the entrenched communications cartels.

By: Chris Lyons

Chris Lyons — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:39:37 +0000

Why would companies invest millions to develop products that operate in spectrum that might not be available because the gov’t decided to sell it? I think it’s the uncertainty that is holding everything up. Opening the white spaces may indeed spur technical and economic development over the long term, but auctioning the spectrum to cellular carriers will generate billions instantly – and I suspect that carries more weight in Washington right now.

By: J.H. Snider

J.H. Snider — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:00:54 +0000

I’d like to know the relative amount and quality of the spectrum allocated to unlicensed devices in the white spaces in both the U.S. and U.K. The original plan in the U.S. was to have a meaningful amount of white spaces allocated to unlicensed. Due to the power of the broadcast lobby, the white spaces available for unlicensed was significantly whittled down until, it could be argued, not much more than the dregs were left. Not surprisingly, commercial interest in so-called Super WiFi also dropped. But in the U.K., the broadcast lobby isn’t as all-powerful (this largely has to do with its parliamentary system), as evidenced by its digital transition, which did a much better job of limiting socially harmful windfalls to the broadcast lobby. This suggests the U.K. may also have done a better job with the white spaces allocated for unlicensed.

–J.H. Snider, author of “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick: How Local TV Broadcasters Exert Power” and SpectrumBS.info.

By: Eideard

Eideard — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:59:59 +0000

Aside from one comment by a paranoid – there’s a significant likelihood that the Department of Homeland Insecurity gets to make choices about White Space before the needs of ordinary mortals come under consideration.

One of those areas written up by the 9/11 Commission – remember that? – which hasn’t been implemented because Congressional lobbyists aren’t especially united over who gets the profits. So, concepts are still floundering around years later in one of the closets of our do-nothing politicians on the Hill. But, that will be one of the excuses offered.

Some or all of that spectrum was supposed to be assigned priority to first responders.