I was reading an interview with the FCC chairman and they are planning to squeeze spectrum from the allocation for TV for wireless internet use. In the interview he says "If you believe that there's a need for more spectrum, then you've got to get it from somewhere." Well, why do we need to take it just from the allocation for TV? I've checked the current allocation, and there are huge swaths that are reserved for government use and radio-navigation. Are we sure there is no-where else it can also come from? Has anyone done an accounting to see what of the spectrum is actually used by all those government agencies?

http://arstechnica.com/telecom/news/2010/03/an-interview-with-blair-levin-on-the-fccs-national-broadband-plan.ars

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/United_States_Frequency_Allocations_Chart_2003_-_The_Radio_Spectrum.jpg

3/2/2010 10:03:42 AM

i don't care, fuck tv

3/2/2010 10:04:33 AM

You'll be happy the government allocations were protected when a missile doesn't go off course due to RF interference and blow up your house.

3/2/2010 11:55:16 AM

Is the fcc an incompetent organization? yes
Is there government owned spectrum that could probably be used for this? maybe
Is using the old tv spectrum freed up by the digital conversion a bad thing? no

3/2/2010 12:43:35 PM

I think some AM spectrum could be freed up too... Although, I suspect it might not have a use.

3/2/2010 12:59:39 PM

3/2/2010 1:05:17 PM

there was a write up on this in an old 2600 issue last year.

Pretty much this is the plan. The government will offer internet in the band.

3/2/2010 1:05:52 PM