---------- Original Message ---------- To: WISPA General List (wireless@wispa.org) From: Patrick Leary ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Subject: [WISPA] My Hypothetical Conversation with Julius Knapp, Chief of OET Date: 2/8/2007 12:48:20p
>What should I say next time I'm before people like Julie Knapp, who >heads OET. Here is a potential script: > >Me - "Good morning sir, congratulations on earning the Chief position." > >Julie - "Thank you Patrick. What's on your mind?" > >Me - "Julie, we could really use more spectrum for UL." Wrong. More spectrum for "unlicensed" isn't needed. Spectrum which can be used to convey high speed data services at reasonable cost by UBIQUITOUS SMALL BUSINESSES to fill in the gaps in both space and market which the large and corporate world will never fill, and to be competition for them where they do. Yes, we'd like it to not be "owned" spectrum, so the big guys c an't buy it all up and lock out the low overhead competition. > >Julie - "Well, you already have 589.5 megahertz total from pieces >between 902 MHz to 5.7850 GHz." Yes, there's a lot of spectrum for baby monitors, garage door openers, in-house lans, cordless phones, wireless tv cameras, and so on. But since it was never created for the purpose of high speed data services, it is NOT "for broadband and data services", but generalized unlicensed. So, while much use has been made of this spectrum, it's spectrum for these purposes that is needed. > >Me - "Yes, that's true and we do appreciate it and know you have been a >personal champion for UL spectrum, but we need more so we can build >networks that will permit self-installation even in rural areas." > >Julie - "Ah, you want that beachfront stuff with high power. Well, >looking at how many WISPs can't be trusted to follow the rules, there is >considerable risk for that, especially with the broadcasters, who tend >to be a vocal and frankly powerful lobby." > >Me - "I can imagine. I'd like to see Rupert Murdoch and Ted Turner in a >mud wrestling match - well clothed of course. But back to the WISPs, >they don't follow the rules because you guys don't enforce the rule." This is why organizations like Motorola continue to lobby against WISP interests. The rules, which were created for entirely different purposes, have been and continue to be a huge obstruction to innovation and industry advancement. Many have gone around them in an effort to try to be competitive...or even function at all. > >Julie - "Nice visual, thanks...So you are telling me that a principal >characteristic of your market is that operators will only do what's >right if they know someone is looking?" > >Me - "No, not all. Yes many, and I admit that even many leader WISPs >believe that is an acceptable attitude so long as power rules aren't >violated." > >Julie - "So you are saying they pick and choose the rules they are >prepared to tolerate versus those we require?" > >Me - "Well, yeah, pretty much that's what they do. They argue among >themselves about which rules they think matter." Well, Patrick, at this point you have a choice. You can become an advocate of the WISP business and explain WHY rule reform and spectrum is vital to the survival of the industry, or you can use your present and past fallback position, that your company's margins and market should be protected by the excessive, obstructive, and unworkable Part-15 rules structure, and that only the big players have a 'right' to be in the market and that those few who venture into the WISP business should be funded such that it keeps your bottom line nice and fat in spite of the huge costs structure built in place. > >Julie - "Yes, so I know. Interesting attitude. I hear there's been lots >of arguing lately about lots of things and what is required of them even >though we have been clear, like CALEA, Form 477, the purposes of an STA, >etc," Yes, you should explain that the FCC injecting themselves into an unregulated business, is a lot like the federal governmnet coming along and demanding that bicycle repairmen file federal reports and report the services they provide to their customers. For one, they have no idea there's such regulations...and two, you have no such business doing this. > >Me - "What can I say? They believe as small players filling what they >see as a gap that they should be allowed some leeway so they can save >money." > >Julie - "Did you tell them that the latest data shows 90% of all U.S. >zip codes have at least two broadband providers? The gaps aren't so big >anymore." So, is the FCC engaged in the business of protecting the biggest operators, or are they in the business of serving the people, providing relevant regulation and promoting competition and services? > >Me - "Well there ARE still holes WITHIN those zip codes Julie." > >Julie - "For the short term, yes." > >Me - "Yeah, so what abou..." > >Julie - "No." > >Me - "Excuse me sir? No what?" > >Julie - "No more hanging my ass out on a limb for a community that I >generally love for their passion and can-do attitude. No, because that's >not enough of a good enough reason to let them keep giving me heart burn >and generally slapping me in the face every time we try to really help >them or blaming us for their inability to keep their own house in >order." At this point, if this is the attitude of the FCC, then we need to know this, and shut down and go work at McDonald's because then there is NO HOPE of surviving the federal government. I will repeat this again... We can survive and in fact, PREVAIL over telcos, cablecos, fiber deployments, OR ANYTHING that may come our way... WE CANNOT SURVIVE THE GOVERNMENT. It is the only thing which endangers the WISP business at all, because it the only obstruction we cannot innovate, imagine, or think our way around. > >Patrick Leary >AVP WISP Markets >Alvarion, Inc. >o: 650.314.2628 >c: 760.580.0080 >Vonage: 650.641.1243 >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > >************************************************************************************ >This footnote confirms that this email message has been scanned by >PineApp Mail-SeCure for the presence of malicious code, vandals & computer >viruses. >************************************************************************************ > >-- >WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > >Subscribe/Unsubscribe: >http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > >Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ Mark -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
