With American carriers and manufacturers gallantly fighting here and abroad for global wireless supremacy and the U.S. government pocketing billions from the sale of airwaves that fuel pagers and mobile phones, some might say that saving Pvt. Wireless isn’t worth it.
Who is Pvt. Wireless?
Pvt. Wireless is a ruddy-faced, unsung American hero who unwaveringly provides spectrum cover for police, firefighters, medics and the U.S. industrial infrastructure.
Pvt. Wireless is not glamorous. He lacks the flashiness of commercial wireless, which the Federal Communications Commission promoted the same year Congress legalized auctions. All Pvt. Wireless does is get the job done.
Since 1993, under orders from former FCC chairman Reed Hundt, Pvt. Wireless has been on K.P. Hundt wanted Congress to auction private wireless spectrum, reasoning that spectrum is spectrum and everyone should pay for it. And would if they valued it enough.
The argument has merit, but doesn’t explain how those with internal communications needs-some highly specialized-are accommodated. Commercial wireless systems, despite the far-fetched claims of some, do not cut it for everyone.
If it’s money the United States is worried about (and it should be), how about spectrum lease fees in lieu of auctions for private wireless spectrum? With budget-surplus politics now in vogue, the FCC should no longer be under the gun to hand over $7 billion checks to the president.
Public safety wants two-and-a-half megs now below 512 MHz for interoperability; 25 megs in TV channels 60-69 (a work in process); and 70 megs by 2010.
LMCC is lobbying for 15 megs now: 44 megs by 2000; and 81 megs by 2010 for private wireless services.
UTC, for its part, seeks 1 meg by 2000; 1.9 megs by 2005 and 6.3 megs by 2010.
Then, there is the commercial-private fixed wireless coalition that wants more frequencies in the 4 GHz, 11 GHz, 18 GHz and 28 GHz bands.
Not to be overlooked either is the 3G crowd, some of whom believe 400 megs are necessary to roll out Internet-friendly mobile phones in the next millennium. Don’t expect the Pentagon’s high-tech spectrum soldiers to surrender any more of their airwaves, though.
What to do? For one thing, the FCC might give some thought to spectrum management again. For the past five years, commercial wireless spectrum has been dumped onto the market as fast as it could be auctioned-with mixed results.
Digital paging and mobile phone services have been deployed faster than at any time in history. And the government made good money on the deal.
At the same time, the landscape is bloodied with bankruptcies that tie up huge chunks of spectrum that others could use.
In the end, the FCC might find that in saving Pvt. Wireless, a wayward wireless policy will be rescued.
