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Rural Folk May Yet Get Broadband

In another attempt to bring broadband Internet coverage to rural areas, the Federal Communications Commission is proposing letting wireless providers offer service on airwaves currently used by satellite companies.

By Elisa Batista

http://wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,63100,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1

By collecting comments from the public, the FCC hopes to explore ways that wireless broadband companies and satellite service providers could share the 3.65- to 3.7-GHz band of spectrum without interfering with one another. The FCC’s proposal http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-246146A1.pdf
for a change in the rules is the latest in a series of ideas, including offering broadband over power lines http://wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,57605,00.html , aimed at bringing high-speed Internet access to rural areas.

Unlike current wireless services powered by unlicensed bands of spectrum — such as Wi-Fi — the FCC is proposing letting fixed wireless devices such as antennas and desktop computers operate at up to 25 watts of power — or 25 times the power emitted by Wi-Fi devices. The additional power would let wireless customers receive stronger signals, at faster speeds and for longer distances than possible with current wireless Internet services. The strength of the service would depend on the position of equipment such as antennas, analysts say.

"The rural areas need additional power because things are spread apart," said Ed Rerisi, analyst at ABI Research.

Mobile devices, such as laptop computers, would continue to operate at the 1-watt power limit set by the FCC, said Jim Schlichting, deputy chief of the agency’s office of engineering and technology.

"The rules would be that you couldn’t cause interference with earth stations," Schlichting said. "But if you’re looking to transmit something at a higher power, like putting an antenna on a barn and radiating it over several miles, that could cause interference on satellite dishes."

Indeed, it may take a while before residents of rural areas see a single service from the FCC’s latest proposal. Both wireless and satellite industry observers expect a long, drawn-out process as satellite companies duke it out to protect their airwaves from wireless startups.

Satellite companies, naturally, are concerned that devices emitting that much power will interfere with their operations, which include commercial satellite dishes and three federal radar systems.

"There is a homeland security (concern) as well," said David Cavossa, director of the Satellite Industry Association http://www.sia.org/ .

Cavossa said some commercial satellite companies also sell services to government agencies that use the spectrum for radar and other communications systems. If wireless broadband interferes with these systems, it could present a breach in security.

But the satellite industry’s attempts to quash interest in the spectrum may be in vain. Analysts predict the FCC will eventually approve the proposal because a wireless system is the cheapest and easiest way to get broadband Internet to rural customers. Internet over power lines is still an unproven technology. Laying down copper and cables to offer Internet access via DSL or cable modem is expensive. Satellite Internet is also costly.

"I think this proposal will go through," said Craig Mathias, an analyst at Farpoint Group. "Wireless makes a lot of sense here."

The FCC will collect comments on the proposal for the next few months.

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