Can someone, in simple english, explain this wireless spectrum 700 MHz to me?

[Al Neri]

I'm probably dead wrong, but from what I've seen it appears that it's like such:

* There is a certain spectrum of frequencies that the FCC has control over (TV, Radio, etc.)
* Currently all wireless internet (EVDO, etc.) uses spectra outside of this spectrum which is harder to send/receive
* If google wins this spectrum it would allow them to send wireless broadband easier - (e.g. as well as radio - you rarely lose a radio station when driving in your neighborhood, but can lose EVDO or other wireless internet rather easily).


Is that it?

If not pls explain to laymen like myself!

 

[Slick5150]

Basically, this is the part of the spectrum currently used by analog UHF TV channels in the 52-69 range. With the switch to digital broadcasting, it will no longer be needed for that. So, this part of the spectrum will be auctioned off by the FCC.

Its a valuable part of the spectrum because at that range you'll be able to broadcast across long distances, so it would be especially useful for getting wireless internet access to rural areas.

 

[her209]

Does the FCC really own the 700 MHz spectrum?

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Originally posted by: her209
Does the FCC really own the 700 MHz spectrum?

Noone owns it, they are just the ones with the power to do soemthing about it

 

[Slick5150]

The FCC regulates the airspace. Companies, whether it be TV stations, cellphone companies, or whatever, get licenses from them to use certain frequencies. This insures that there aren't 85 million devices all trying to use the same frequencies and absolutely nothing working as a result of it.

 

[Al Neri]

So am I right with my OP?

 

[sygyzy]

DR - Your OP sounds right. What's interesting about these auctions to me is what rules (or lack of) govern them? The government is not supposed to be a for profit business. I know I know taxes, etc. I am just saying they are not supposed to act like private business. With that said, these auctions usually for for millions or billions right? Where did they come up with that number? Also, it's kind of shady to me because nobody owns airwaves but the FCC says "We get to regulate it" and now you guys all fight over it and give us lots of money.

 

[Pabster]

Lower frequencies penetrate buildings and foliage better. Thus a phone operating at 700MHz will be more reliable than one operating at 800/900 or 1900, all other things being equal.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: sygyzy
DR - Your OP sounds right. What's interesting about these auctions to me is what rules (or lack of) govern them? The government is not supposed to be a for profit business. I know I know taxes, etc. I am just saying they are not supposed to act like private business. With that said, these auctions usually for for millions or billions right? Where did they come up with that number? Also, it's kind of shady to me because nobody owns airwaves but the FCC says "We get to regulate it" and now you guys all fight over it and give us lots of money.

the FCC auctions airspace. the people who use it generally pay a lot to lease the airspace. this isn't so much different than federal oil & gas leases, or federal timber leases, or federal ranching leases.

the FCC doesn't say that they get to regulate it, congress does. congress did so because, before the FCC, radio was an absolute mess (probably the best example of the 'tragedy of the commons' ever). congress gets its authority from the commerce clause in article 1, section 8 of the US constitution.


generally these auctions are extremely complicated to keep one entity from buying up everything. because there is a geographic limit to how far signals can travel before the noise overwhelms the signal you can have different entities buying and operating on the same frequency in different locations.

 

[James Bond]

Could someone explain this small piece of it a tiny more?

"Basically, this is the part of the spectrum currently used by analog UHF TV channels in the 52-69 range. With the switch to digital broadcasting, it will no longer be needed for that. So, this part of the spectrum will be auctioned off by the FCC."

OK, so the 700MHz spectrum (until now) was in use with analog signals. So when it comes to wireless broadcasting, digital/analog share the same spectrum? What is UHF? Does nobody use those channels anymore?

 

[jersiq]

Originally posted by: Don Rodriguez

* If google wins this spectrum it would allow them to send wireless broadband easier - (e.g. as well as radio - you rarely lose a radio station when driving in your neighborhood, but can lose EVDO or other wireless internet rather easily).


Is that it?

If not pls explain to laymen like myself!

Well, EVDO and voice aren't quite as simple as a radio station, which broacasts from one location only.

In both voice and EVDO you have things such as soft, semi-soft and hard handoffs...Multipath, Walsh codes etc. As others have said it a lower frequency has better building penetration, but more importantly, it will allow for more subscribers to use whoever provides their service.
Edit, sorry I was speaking more towards the "closed" part of the auction.

 

[jersiq]

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Could someone explain this small piece of it a tiny more?

OK, so the 700MHz spectrum (until now) was in use with analog signals. So when it comes to wireless broadcasting, digital/analog share the same spectrum? What is UHF? Does nobody use those channels anymore?

So when it comes to wireless broadcasting, digital/analog share the same spectrum?
- Yes it's just a carrier signal in the spectrum.

What is UHF?
- Ultra High Frequency

Does nobody use those channels anymore?
-Sunset on analog TV transmissions in favor of HDTV

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: jersiq

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Could someone explain this small piece of it a tiny more?

OK, so the 700MHz spectrum (until now) was in use with analog signals. So when it comes to wireless broadcasting, digital/analog share the same spectrum? What is UHF? Does nobody use those channels anymore?

So when it comes to wireless broadcasting, digital/analog share the same spectrum?
- Yes it's just a carrier signal in the spectrum.

What is UHF?
- Ultra High Frequency

Does nobody use those channels anymore?
-Sunset on analog TV transmissions in favor of HDTV

Thanks for answering those. Now my last question, if a company (Google, for example) wins the spectrum, exactly *what* could be done with it in the long term? How does it affect me? I read one post that said it would be useful for rural areas because it has such long range... Will there be any good use for urban?

Also, while on the topic, how exactly do companies such as ClearWire work? Do they have their own spectrum that they broadcast to urban areas or something?

 

[FoBoT]

it will be awesome, we'll have gPhones with cheap internet/voice access across the entire country

and google will replace microsoft as the top tech company

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: sygyzy
DR - Your OP sounds right. What's interesting about these auctions to me is what rules (or lack of) govern them? The government is not supposed to be a for profit business. I know I know taxes, etc. I am just saying they are not supposed to act like private business. With that said, these auctions usually for for millions or billions right? Where did they come up with that number? Also, it's kind of shady to me because nobody owns airwaves but the FCC says "We get to regulate it" and now you guys all fight over it and give us lots of money.

They didn't come up with any number. Do you know what an auction is?

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
the FCC doesn't say that they get to regulate it, congress does. congress did so because, before the FCC, radio was an absolute mess (probably the best example of the 'tragedy of the commons' ever). congress gets its authority from the commerce clause in article 1, section 8 of the US constitution.

The Congress shall have Power To...

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

Doesn't this mean Congress only has the power to regulate inter-state commerce while leaving the individual states to regulate intra-state commerce?

 

[erub]

Originally posted by: Tizyler

Originally posted by: jersiq

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Could someone explain this small piece of it a tiny more?

OK, so the 700MHz spectrum (until now) was in use with analog signals. So when it comes to wireless broadcasting, digital/analog share the same spectrum? What is UHF? Does nobody use those channels anymore?

So when it comes to wireless broadcasting, digital/analog share the same spectrum?
- Yes it's just a carrier signal in the spectrum.

What is UHF?
- Ultra High Frequency

Does nobody use those channels anymore?
-Sunset on analog TV transmissions in favor of HDTV

Thanks for answering those. Now my last question, if a company (Google, for example) wins the spectrum, exactly *what* could be done with it in the long term? How does it affect me? I read one post that said it would be useful for rural areas because it has such long range... Will there be any good use for urban?

Also, while on the topic, how exactly do companies such as ClearWire work? Do they have their own spectrum that they broadcast to urban areas or something?

In urban environments, lower frequencies are also more valuable. They penetrate buildings far better, requring fewer expensive cell sites to provide the equivalent coverage. At T-Mobile (and other carriers too) we put sites in just to cover one building due to the propagation losses from large buildings. Nowadays good architects keep in mind the RF penetration when choosing building materials (don't want to build a building that is basically a giant Farady cage, where nothing from the outside would penetrate).

Yes, Clearwire owns a large chunk of spectrum across many areas of the USA, in the 2.5-2.6 GHz range. They are building towers to provide wireless data service in the parts of the country where they hold spectrum.

 

[Colt45]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: ElFenix
the FCC doesn't say that they get to regulate it, congress does. congress did so because, before the FCC, radio was an absolute mess (probably the best example of the 'tragedy of the commons' ever). congress gets its authority from the commerce clause in article 1, section 8 of the US constitution.

The Congress shall have Power To...

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

Doesn't this mean Congress only has the power to regulate inter-state commerce while leaving the individual states to regulate intra-state commerce?

RF doesn't stop at state lines, if that's what you're getting at.

 

[sygyzy]

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: sygyzy
DR - Your OP sounds right. What's interesting about these auctions to me is what rules (or lack of) govern them? The government is not supposed to be a for profit business. I know I know taxes, etc. I am just saying they are not supposed to act like private business. With that said, these auctions usually for for millions or billions right? Where did they come up with that number? Also, it's kind of shady to me because nobody owns airwaves but the FCC says "We get to regulate it" and now you guys all fight over it and give us lots of money.

They didn't come up with any number. Do you know what an auction is?

I'm think so but I am not sure. Could you explain it?