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Each 700MHz tower can cover four times the large geographic area as towers in higher bands, and the signals go through obstacles like trees and buildings better than traditional Wi-Fi, said Michael Calabrese, director of the wireless future program at the New America Foundation, a Washington, D.C., think tank.
 The six groups, calling themselves the Save Our Spectrum Coalition, filed comments with the FCC Thursday, suggesting competitors to the large DSL and cable modem service providers could use the open access to provide a broadband alternative. The FCC will auction 60MHz of spectrum in the upper 700MHz band, later this year. The spectrum is being freed up by U.S. television broadcasters as they move from analog to digital broadcasts.
The groups also want the FCC to prohibit wireline and large wireless incumbents from bidding on the frequencies or to require them to bid through affiliates. They believe the FCC should require half of the 60MHz be dedicated to “open access” (at wholesale rates), and allow customers to use any equipment or application. That provision is similar to network neutrality rules the groups and others are pushing the U.S. Congress to pass.
Here are links for the full filings at the Public Knowledge site.
The groups include the New America Foundation, Consumers Union, Media Access Project, Free Press and Public Knowledge. “This is the last large auction of prime spectrum in the foreseeable future,” Calabrese said during a Save Our Spectrum Coalition news conference.
Congress hopes to generate $10 billion for the treasury with the sale of the 60MHz. Another 24Hhz is reserved for public safety agencies.
Related DailyWireless articles include; Rural Broadband: Handicapping Campaign ?08, Frontline Files 700MHz Plan with FCC, FCC Firming Up 700MHz Rules?, Nokia WiMAX: UK Tough, U.S. Litigious, Wu?s Net Neutrality: On the Media, Skype to FCC: Open Cellular Now, Net Neutrality Goes Wireless, Net Neutrality 2007, Verizon?s $6B Smackdown, Alcatel Does EVDO in DC 700 MHz Net, Frontline?s 700MHz Pitch: Sharing is Good, Tom Ridge: Answer Cyren Call, Verizon Makes its Move for Universal Service Fund, National Broadband: Fee & Free, Pushing for ?White Space?, Microsoft?s ?Free? Phone?, Senate Testimony on 700MHz Sharing, FCC to Rural Users: 700MHz is the Ticket, McCain Wants Commercial 700 MHz for Police, State-wide Wireless Broadband Access, FCC’s 8th Report and Order, Joint Commecial/Muni Proposed for 700Mhz and Oregon?s $500 Million Statewide Wireless Network.
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