----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Stroh" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "WISPA General List" <wireless@wispa.org>
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 8:55 AM
Subject: Re: [WISPA] 700 MHz - The Other View
Scriv:
I disagree your statement that "If they use [700 MHz] to sell
broadband wireless Internet then by definition those parties will then
become WISPs." I doubt that Verizon Communications (landlines) and
Verizon Wireless would consider themselves WISPs merely by acquiring
more spectrum - any more than they do now considering that they both
own considerable amounts of spectrum and both already offer Broadband
Wireless Internet Access. Do you consider Sprint / Nextel a WISP
(they're doing Broadband Wireless in 2.5 GHz)? Is AT&T a WISP (they're
doing BW in 2.3 GHz)? How about Clearwire? No... there's a very clear
stratification between WISPs and other players that isn't bridged by
the common use of Broadband Wireless Internet Access, or use of a
particular portion of spectrum.
Yes, all of those companies are indeed WISPs. Wireless Internet Service
Provider. Well, ok, many of them don't know what service is, but you get
the idea. WISPA was designed to paint with a wide brush. The day will come
when those folks will join WISPA. Heck, Google already has.
The main thrust of the article... at least as I saw it... was to offer
caution to WISPs who are considering entering the bidding for 700 MHz
spectrum.
I agree with that stand. BUT, just because it could be hard or frustrating
is no reason to dismiss the idea out of hand. IF we can get the spectrum,
and IF we can get cheap radio cards (software defined radio is closer all of
the time) then we'll be able to use any linux based platform to drive them.
Think StarOS and Mikrotik.
As for antennas, out here many people still have their TV antennas up. I've
not checked for sure yet, but I'll bet we could use those for internet
access!
I wish it were the case that the existence of new spectrum such as 700
MHz results in new services. But unfortunately, that's not the way of
the world. We have ample precedent that those who acquire spectrum
largely DON'T use it; thus I remain skeptical that 700 MHz will
translate to "... a means of delivering broadband in rural areas... "
as you state. The main reason for this is, and it's a mild criticism
of the worldview of the average WISP, is that rural areas are not a
priority for large companies (that have the deep pockets to win
spectrum auctions). Simply, brutally put, rural areas aren't where the
money is. You don't need any better evidence of this than Verizon, one
of the biggest telecommunications companies (and a potential bidder
for 700 MHz) is DIVESTING itself of its operations in entire rural
states, such as Maine.
Yeah. But in this case, that helps us. Let 'em leave. We'll still be
here. It's take a while but I'm starting to get DSL customers. Not because
of the price or the way that the DSL works. There are two things happening.
A: People are dropping their land lines and going to cable or wireless
internet and cell phones.
B: People are sick and tired of the way that the mega corps treat them.
So... will 700 MHz licenses in rural areas be snapped up, probably by
large companies? Oh yes indeed! Does it follow that those new owners
of 700 MHz licenses will actually build out systems in rural areas?
No, largely because experience argues just the opposite - check out
how many systems Aloha Partners discusses having constructed,
considering that "Aloha currently owns 12MHz of spectrum covering 60%
of the United States - including all of the top 10 markets and 84% of
the population in the top 40 markets". Answer... none. Aloha Partners
is sitting on its spectrum, hoping it will appreciate, maybe that some
bigger player will buy it, and they'll end up with a tidy profit on
its investment. Or maybe they're just waiting for better, cheaper
systems to emerge. Or they're waiting for... whatever. The bottom line
is that there are no Broadband Systems being built with that
particular spectrum, and no new customers being served, no additional
competition for Broadband services being brought to bear.
Precicely why it's so important to get any new spectrum into the hands of
the WISP market. We've proven that we WILL use any spectrum that we can get
our hands on! The FIRST legislative goal that the FCC has to fulfill is to
benefit the most comsumers. Auctions are a dismal failure.
I predict that the auction mechanism will go away. Sure there is a lot of
money raised. But it's still not even a drop in the federal bucket. AND
it's doing the consumer NO good. The pressure for efficient USE of the
spectrum is getting very high.
I remember talking to people close to Aloha. Everyone was excited because
they were gonna go to work. Didn't happen. It's too bad that they didn't
sublet the spectrum out to us. Looks to me like you are right on this one.
They just wanted it for an investement. They don't give a whit about
servicing anyone.
But mostly I'm disappointed what you chose to focus in the article on
was my mild criticism of WISPA's participation in a "closed door"
collaboration with very large companies such as Intel, Microsoft,
Cisco, Google, etc. regarding television whitespaces. No, I wasn't
griping about being (individually) excluded from the discussions. My
criticism was much more broad - I felt that the entire WISPA
membership... and the WISP community as a whole, was excluded from the
discussions. This from an organization which prides itself on being
open, transparent, democratic, and "of, by, and for WISPs"? It didn't
seem that way to me, and that "closed door" mindset was, to me, a
worrisome development for WISPA. Even more worrisome is that WISPA's
leadership, reflected by your attitude, is defensive and apparently
proud of their "closed doors" participation in the television
whitespaces collaboration with Intel, etc.
This was not at all closed door. We constantly updated the MEMBERSHIP on
what we were doing. Our filings with the FCC were always floated past the
membership before we posted them.
You have to understand one thing on the defensiveness Steve. We were called
a group of "good ol' boys" very early on. Even though we worked VERY hard
to make sure as much of what goes on within WISPA is totally above board as
we can make it we still get called on the carpet for being shady or
cliqueish. It's frustating to say the least.
But those are the comments of one WISP industry observer. If you
choose to "shoot the messenger" instead of addressing the actual
comments and criticisms, so be it.
Let me address a couple of other things right away then. We DID work on
3650. We worked hard on it. AND we got almost everything we asked for.
Higher power levels. No spectrum hogs (think wmux and Canopy). No
restrictions based on population density. No licensing (no special
licensing for urban markets).
We've been working hard on the white spaces issue. For a VERY long time.
Some of what we do lines up with companies like Intel, MS, Cisco etc. Parts
of it doesn't. When we can we always work with other potential users of the
bands. WISPA trys to lead by example in that regard.
700mhz auctions are part of what we are working on.
sigh If only a few of us could stay up for more than 25 hours a day! OR,
if we could get more help. hint hint hint.
laters,
marlon
Thanks,
Steve
On 7/8/07, John Scrivner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Steve Stroh and I usually see things the same way. We have somewhat
varying views on the 700 MHz auction coming up. Here are his views on
the upcoming 700 MHz auction.
http://www.wispnews.net/2007/07/my-take-on-700-.html
It is important to note that part of what is going to happen is that
there will be new WISPs once this spectrum sells. Some of them will look
very different from the WISPs we generally see now. I have done my part
to attempt to make this opportunity available to WISPs who are in place
now through the formation of the 700 MHz Committee. I have little doubt
that many licenses will go to people who are not now WISPs. If they use
the spectrum to sell broadband wireless Internet then by definition
those parties will then become WISPs.
The future of 700 MHz use as a means of delivering broadband in rural
areas will bear fruit. How well it does this and how soon are primarily
a factor of how much money and work are put to work to make it happen. I
will not pretend to think I know what all will happen. I simply know
that the physics of this band make it ideal to serve rural broadband.
WISPA has aggressively worked toward the efforts of acquiring unlicensed
TV white spaces spectrum through the 04-186 NPRM comments and
legislative initiatives which we have all been a part of. I have been to
DC twice over this initiative myself. I know many here have worked hard
on this. I do not see how taking a position on how the auction is
managed plays any part in whether or not we will see access to
unlicensed spectrum in the TV "white spaces".
I must also say that combined work of the Intel / Microsoft / Cisco /
New America / Free Press / WISPA coalition to gain access to this
unlicensed use of spectrum was very positive toward this effort. In
those meetings we decided that building a test device and getting it to
the FCC for evaluation would be the best way to show them we can use the
band without messing it up. In Steve's article he says, "Yes, WISPA is
"involved" in the white spaces issue, but its efforts have been clouded
(nowhere near transparent) by its mysterious participation with
companies such as Microsoft and Intel.". I guess Steve sees Microsoft
or Intel as some sort of a threat to us. I really do not know what he is
insinuating. I feel Steve Stroh may have some sour grapes regarding that
work as he was not invited to oversee the work done there through a
list server owned and operated by Intel. We (Marlon and myself) were
invited to be a part of this effort and conversations there are not
public information. I know the public record of comments to the FCC and
the letters to congress that we all approved were done openly and
therefore I do not approve of Steve's comments. In short, just because
Steve did not get to be on the inside when something happened does not
automatically make that effort suspect. The public records tells the
tale.
I will let Marlon speak for the 3650 efforts to date. I think he and a
few others here have done all the work on that effort to date. Despite
my differences of opinion with Steve Stroh I still do consider him a
friend. I just happen to think he is wrong in his article on a few
points. Most notably in his "clouded" view of WISPA's work with other
industries and foundations during the white space lobbying work.
Scriv
--
Steve Stroh
425-939-0076 | [EMAIL PROTECTED] | www.stevestroh.com
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