WCAI Applauds Obama Administration for Releasing Broadband Stimulus Funds

Vice President Joe Biden today announced the availability of $4 billion in loans and grants to bring broadband to unserved and underserved communities. This is the first round of the funding NTIA and RUS will disburse under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

On behalf of the wireless broadband industry, I applaud the Obama Administration for taking this critical step toward bringing broadband access to rural America. As the only platform that provides access everywhere, all the time, wireless broadband is essential to achieving universal broadband connectivity, creating jobs and encouraging economic growth. WCAI members are eager to begin the broadband stimulus application process and get to work building a better America.

WCAI will hold a member-only webinar on July 8 to analyze the broadband stimulus NoFA released by the NTIA and the RUS today and brief the members on the next steps they need to take to apply for the broadband stimulus funds. For more information, WCAI members should contact Susan Polyakova at susan@wcai.com.

WCAI Congratulates Julius Genachowski, Robert McDowell and Lawrence Strickling on Confirmation to FCC, NTIA

Last night, the Senate voted to confirm Julius Genachowski as FCC Chairman, Robert McDowell as an FCC Commissioner, and Lawrence Strickling as NTIA Administrator. On behalf of the wireless broadband industry, I want to congratulate Chairman Genachowski, Commissioner McDowell and Assistant Secretary Strickling on their confirmations to serve on the FCC and at NTIA. These confirmations come at a critical time, when the FCC is crafting a national broadband plan for our future, and NTIA is poised to disburse $4.7 billion in broadband stimulus funds to bring additional broadband services to America.

The confirmation of Chairman Genachowski is great news for both the industry and users of wireless broadband services. His proven record of success in both public policy and business development is a harbinger of great things to come at the FCC.

A strong advocate for supporting competition in the marketplace, Commissioner McDowell has been a long-time friend of the wireless broadband industry. His deep knowledge and significant experience in the communications industry will continue to serve the FCC well during his second term.

A leader in the communications sector with deep knowledge of the industry and extensive experience in public policy and business development, Assistant Secretary Strickling is an excellent choice to head NTIA as it works to promote innovation, create jobs and achieve universal broadband access in the United States through the broadband stimulus program.

We at WCAI look forward to working with Chairman Genachowski, Commissioner McDowell and Assistant Secretary Strickling to promote innovative wireless broadband services and achieve universal wireless broadband access in the United States.

WCAI Congratulates Meredith Baker and Mignon Clyburn on Nomination to FCC

President Barack Obama today announced that he has nominated Meredith Baker and Mignon Clyburn to be FCC Commissioners. Ms. Baker has been nominated to the seat formerly held by Chairman Kevin Martin, the term for which expires on June 30, 2011. Ms. Clyburn has been nominated to fill the seat formerly held by Commissioner Deborah Tate, the term for which expires on June 30, 2012.

The nomination of Meredith Baker to serve on the FCC is great news for the wireless industry. Her vast experience and thorough knowledge and understanding of the issues the industry faces both in the U.S. and on a global basis make her an excellent choice for FCC Commissioner.

I am also pleased to see President Obama nominate Mignon Clyburn to be an FCC Commissioner. Her state-level experience will bring balance to the FCC that would otherwise lack a state presence.

WCAI congratulates Ms. Baker and Ms. Clyburn on the nomination and looks forward to working with them upon their confirmation.

FCBA to Honor Dr. Evan Kwerel for Excellence in Government Service

FCBA will present its Excellence in Government Service award to Dr. Evan Kwerel of the FCC's Office of Strategic Planning & Policy Analysis at the Spring Reception in Washington, DC this Thursday. I am very pleased that the FCBA is recognizing Evan for his dedication and excellence in public service. A 26-year FCC veteran, Evan has been a major force behind improving spectrum management and developing the FCC's innovative simultaneous multiple round auction methodology. On behalf of the WCAI, I would like to congratulate Evan on this well-deserved recognition.

WCAI Submits Recommendations to Industry Canada on 2.5 GHz Band

WCAI filed comments with Industry Canada advocating the rules to ensure effective and efficient use of the 2.5 GHz band. WCAI recommends that the Canadian regulator: 1) Allocate the spectrum in contiguous spectrum blocks of at least 30 MHz each to meet increasing consumer demand for mobile broadband services; 2) Permit fully flexible use of the spectrum for either TDD or FDD throughout the entire band and allow operators to mitigate any potential interference; and 3) Harmonize to the maximum extent possible its band plan with the band plan in the United States and other countries. “Given the amount of bandwidth available within the 2.5 GHz band, this band is essential to the development of mobile broadband worldwide,” said WCAI President and CEO Fred Campbell. “Implementing the WCAI recommendations would enable Industry Canada to minimize cross-border interference with the United States and promote the rapid and efficient deployment of mobile broadband services in Canada.”

WCAI Files Comments on CMRS Market Competition

Today WCAI submitted comments with the FCC urging the Commission to use more granularity regarding networks operating in unlicensed and “hybrid” (3.65 GHz) spectrum bands when analyzing effective competition in the CMRS market for its annual report. “Coverage maps depicting unlicensed network deployment are essential to understanding wireless deployment and informing the spectrum allocation debate that is currently occurring in the context of the national broadband plan proceeding,” the filing said. “With increasing convergence between licensed and unlicensed networks, and calls for even more unlicensed spectrum allocations, now is the time for the Commission to include such data in the CMRS Competition Report.” WCAI also urged FCC to make significantly more spectrum available for mobile broadband use. The limited amount of 425 MHz available today for mobile broadband would not support even three mobile broadband service providers using 150 MHz of spectrum each to adequately meet consumer needs. Finally, WCAI said the Commission should attempt to quantify the degree to which mobile broadband may be a substitute for wireline broadband to understand whether consumer preference for mobility is affecting intermodal broadband competition.

WCAI Urges FCC to Make Mobility Cornerstone of America’s Broadband Plan

WCAI today submitted comments with the FCC in response to the Commission’s Notice of Inquiry on a National Broadband Plan for Our Future.

Universal next-generation mobile wireless broadband network deployment and adoption must be the cornerstone of America’s broadband plan. Mobile wireless broadband is a prerequisite to the coming paradigm shift in computing and the key to reestablishing American leadership in information technology.

The majority of consumers value mobility more highly than static broadband access at home. Mobile wireless broadband networks offer excellent throughput and mobility, and are approximately 20 times less expensive to deploy in rural areas than fiber networks. When the rest of the world is leapfrogging the limitations of static broadband connections, and moving directly to a ubiquitous mobile broadband environment, planning for an “improved” version of the existing broadband paradigm will doom America’s broadband plan to failure.

To realize the tremendous benefits of universal deployment and adoption of next-generation mobile wireless broadband, WCAI recommends that America’s broadband plan reform universal service policies with a broadband paradigm as the lodestar, assure availability of adequate spectrum resources to meet growing demand for wireless broadband services, minimize barriers to deployment and promote investment, and promote competition in the backhaul and middle mile markets.

A copy of the WCAI comments is available at: http://wcai.com/images/pdf/2009_wcai06-08.pdf.