WiFi and Interference Issues

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Wi-Fi and Interference Issues
Law Offices of Miller Van Eaton P.L.L.C. W A S
H I N G T O N , D.C. A Professional Limited
Liability Company
Alliance for Community Media Northeast Regional
Conference March 15, 2003 Brooklyn, NY
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Wi-Fi is Big

• Unlicensed, cheap, last-mile bandwidth
• Home market projected to grow from 123,000 units
  in 2001 to 2.5 million by 2006
• Commercially available in Starbucks, Marriotts,
  airports, Borders, and now McDonalds
• UCLA, UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, MIT and
  others are rolling out on campuses

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Most Unwired Communities

• Intel most unwired cities survey ranked top 100
  U.S. cities and regions with greatest wireless
  Internet accessibility
• 1. Portland, OR-Vancouver, WA
• 2. San Francisco-San Jose-Oakland, CA
• 3. Austin-San Marcos, TX
• 4. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett-Tacoma, WA
• 5. Orange County, CA
• 6. Washington, DC
• 7. San Diego, CA
• 8. Denver, CO
• 9. Ventura, CA
• 10. Boston, MA

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What is the role for Local Governments?

• Some local governments are rolling out Wi-Fi,
  creating a cloud over their downtown areas.
  Examples
• Long Beach, CA
• Sponsored by the Citys Economic Development
  Bureau and local businesses
• Created a three-block hot zone, offering free
  Internet access in hopes of attracting business
  and tourism
• Has plans for similar zones at the airport,
  convention center, and marina

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What is the role for Local Governments? (contd)

• Tallahassee, FL
• Community-based initiative called Digital Canopy
• Covers a 12-block area downtown, with expansion
  plans for 20 blocks.
• City is considering purchasing and managing the
  network

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With Growth Comes Interference Concerns

• Spectrum interference is a growing concern to
  local governments, especially when public safety
  systems are affected
• The FCC regulates spectrum frequency issues
• While Wi-Fi hasnt created interference concerns
  yet, its growth could lead to concerns in the
  future

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FCC Interference Activities

• FCC has open proceedings concerning interference
  issues
• 800 MHz proceeding
• FCC is attempting to find a long-term solution to
  commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) public
  safety interference
• Comments have been filed in the proceeding
• Relocation is possible, and some parties are
  trying to come to a consensus of how that is best
  implemented

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• Cingular Petition
• Anne Arundel County, MD determined that
  interference issues were creating a crisis to the
  Countys public safety system
• After unsuccessfully trying to resolve the
  situation with CMRS carriers, the County passed a
  zoning ordinance requiring telecommunication
  facility users and owners to obtain certification
  that it is not degrading or interfering with the
  Countys public safety systems
• Cingular has challenged the Ordinance, arguing
  the FCC has exclusive jurisdiction over
  interference issues

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• Cingular Petition (contd)
• The FCC accepted comments on the issue, but has
  not released an opinion
• Unlicensed Devices Below 900 MHz and in the 3 MHz
  band
• In December the FCC asked for comments on the
  possibility of permitting unlicensed devices to
  operate in additional frequency bands
• Unlicensed devices include cordless phones, home
  security systems, and computer local area networks

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• Unlicensed Devices Below 900 MHz and in the 3 MHz
  band (contd)
• FCC is considering allowing use of TV broadcast
  spectrum, provided that it does not interfere
  with authorized services
• Specifically looking at vacant TV channels that
  cannot be used because of the FCCs distance
  separation rules between TV stations

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Future of Interference

• As spectrum use grows, interference also likely
  to grow
• FCC, as many federal agencies, are slow to
  respond to these issues, reacting to crises
  instead of foreseeing problems
• A Spectrum Policy Task Force has been formed to
  look forward
• In the mean time, while wireless is perceived as
  regulation light, lack of management can cause
  interference problems later

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Contact Information
Holly Saurer hsaurer_at_millervaneaton.com Miller
Van Eaton, P.L.L.C. 1155 Connecticut Avenue,
N.W. Suite 1000 Washington, D.C.
20036-4301 phone [phone] fax [phone] www
.millervaneaton.com