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The Philadelphia Story Continues... A.K.A. Lose Lips and Something About Ships.

2008-05-07T15:29:22-05:00

The Philadelphia saga is about to get a whole lot more interesting. Though I've been privy to a lot of the behind-the-scene negotiations, if you're looking for details, you'll have to look elsewhere. However, you won't have to wait long -- the Philadelphia Metro has already started covering things -- which means that someone's already spilling the beans. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily News are going to be running stories tomorrow.

All in all, the proposed solution is a really good one for the residents of Philly; but yes, it's caught up on the demand for a $250,000 payment. Meanwhile, Wireless Philadelphia released this statement today...

I am writing to provide you a brief update on the Wireless
Philadelphia Initiative.

Philadelphia's Wi-Fi network continues to operate in the roughly 80% of the City in which it has been deployed (see map ). Nothing in the ten-year Network Agreement

permits EarthLink to unilaterally impose deadlines for the network's transfer, turn off the network or remove network equipment.

It has been well publicized that EarthLink recently announced its intention to sell its Wi-Fi networks and exit the municipal wireless business. Wireless Philadelphia and the City of Philadelphia continue to work together to explore options for the network's future. In the meantime, we are committed to our core mission of serving Digital Inclusion customers with internet access, hardware, technical support and training.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Best regards,

Greg Goldman
CEO
Wireless Philadelphia
ggoldman@wirelessphiladelphia.org

Fun with OLSR. A.K.A., More Iphone Hacking.

2008-05-06T12:55:03-05:00

My friend and colleague, Aaron Kaplan, has been playing around with his Iphone and is now running open source mesh software on it. The eventual goal of all of this is to create device-as-infrastructure networks -- i.e., systems where every piece of hardware is also a part of the communications network. As we've continued to work on integrating myriad open source wireless technologies into a single solution, experiments to integrate Iphones and other devices into new network architectures continue to provide fascinating results.

IPv4 -- Less than 1000 Days Left Until Number Exhaustion!?!?

2008-05-03T19:16:35-05:00

Mike Leber over at Hurricane Electric put out a reminder that some estimates are now putting IPv4 number exhaustion at less than 1000 days out.

Having raised this issue with folks here in DC quite a bit, I've been intrigued by the lack of regard with which this problem has been met. In fact, it seems like few folks want to really address the issue, even though it's a problem that's certain to only grow in complexity and dysfunction as we near exhaustion.

Having just attended the most recent ARIN meeting in Denver, CO, I know that the scientific, research, and general IP communities have been ringing the klaxon for awhile now. Impressive amounts of information on the impending IPv4 exhaustion are readily available, and there's even some of us inside the beltway who are available resources to talk with anyone who'd be interested in addressing the problem (so do give a call).

What's worse, IPv6, while the only solution available, has its own scalability problems.

All I'm saying is, when this becomes "the big story" -- remember, lots of us have been working to proactively address the problem for years. We certainly can't say we didn't see this coming.

Computers, Freedom, & Privacy 2008 Conference

2008-05-01T11:22:14-05:00

I've been on the coordinating committee for the upcoming Computers, Freedom, & Privacy Conference which is taking place up in New Haven, CT later this month. The schedule is now just about finalized and it has shaped up to be an amazing group of intellectuals and experts.

Here's more information for anyone who's interested in these issues:

COMPUTERS, FREEDOM, AND PRIVACY: TECHNOLOGY POLICY '08
http://cfp2008.org/
18th Annual CFP conference
May 20-23, 2008
Omni Hotel
New Haven, CT

Conference Blog: http://cfp08.blogspot.com/
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?id=683858084
Conference Wiki: http://cfp.wikia.com/wiki/CFP08
LinkedIn Group: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/61857/7885844E0F9D

Hotel Conference Discount Deadline: May 1, 2008
Early Bird Registration: Fri., May 2, 2008
YJoLT Tech Policy Essay Contest: Mon., May 5, 2008

ABOUT CFP: TECHNOLOGY POLICY `08

What should the technology policy priorities of the next administration be?

As the choice of presidential candidates becomes clearer and election year moves towards a comparison of the candidates' platforms on the issues, technology policy is increasingly relevant to the forefront of public debate. In the areas of privacy, intellectual property, cybersecurity, telecommunications, and freedom of speech, topics that were once confined to experts now appear in the mainstream of political issues. We now know that our decisions about technology policy are being made at a time as the architectures of our information and communication technologies are still being built.

This year, the 18th annual Computers, Freedom, and Privacy conference is focusing on those issues at the forefront of technology policy this election year. With plenary panels on the "National Security State and the Next Administration" and "The 21st Century Panopticon?" the discussions taking place look towards our present and future priorities.

CFP: Technology Policy '08 is an opportunity to participate in shaping those issues being made into laws and regulations and those technological infrastructures being developed. Policies ranging from spyware and national security, to ISP filtering and patent reform, e-voting to electronic medical records, and more will be addressed by expert panels of technologists, policymakers, business leaders, and activists. The panel topics are listed below and full panel descriptions are available on the conference website at:

http://www.cfp2008.org/wiki/index.php/Program.

The CFP: Technology Policy `08 conversation has already begun in the virtual spaces connected to the conference. Even if you are unable to attend the conference this year, there are several opportunities to participate remotely. The guiding principles that ought to guide our policies are being debated on the conference blog. Social networking groups on Facebook and LinkedIn are providing new spaces for the CFP community to meet and discuss. The Yale Journal of Law and Technology is hosting a call for essays, on the priorities of the next administration, with more details below.

We look forward to seeing you in New Haven on May 20-23.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

Plenary Sessions
Presidential Technology Policy: Priorities for the Next Executive
The 21st Century Panopticon?
The National Security State and the Next Adminstration

Tutorials
A Short History of Privacy
Constitutional Law in Cyberspace
e-Deceptive Campaign Practices: Elections 2.0
Maintaining Privacy While Accessing On-line Information

Panel Sessions
Activism and Education Using Social Networks
Breaking the Silence: Iranians Find a Voice on the Internet
Charismatic Content: Wikis, Social Networks, and the Future of
User-Generated Content
Filtering Out Copyright Infringement: Possibilities, Practicalities, and
Legalities
Filtering and Censorship in Europe
Hate Speech and Oppression in Cyberspace
Interoperability at the Crossroads?: The "Liberal Order" versus
Fragmentation
Law, Regulation, and Software Licensing for the Electronic Medical Record
Measuring Global Threats to Internet Freedom
Network Neutrality: Beyond the Slogans
New Challenges for Spyware Policy
Patents: The Bleeding Edge of Technology Policy
Privacy, Reputation, and the Management of Online Communities
Rights & Responsibilities for Software Programs?
States as Incubators of Change
"The Transparent Society:" Ten Years Later
Towards Trustworthy e-Voting: An Open Source Approach?

CALL FOR ESSAYS

Yale Journal of Law & Technology Call for Essays on the Technology Policy of the New Administration.
Deadline: Monday, May 5th

The Yale Journal of Law & Technology (YJoLT) is seeking essay-length submissions concerning the technology policy platform of the new American presidential administration. Essays selected for publication will appear in the Fall Issue of YJoLT (publication date November 2008).

Ideal submissions will discuss the priorities and guiding principles that American technology policy should follow. Submissions analyzing a particular technology policy issue in depth will also be accepted.

Essays of less than 5,000 words are preferred. Please submit all essays to yjolt.submissions@gmail.com. Please include the text "CFP Essay" in the subject line of the email. The authors of essays selected for publication will be notified on a rolling basis. Any questions can be directed to Lara Rogers, lara.rogers@yale.edu.

CONFERENCE FUNDING FOR JOURNALISTS

The Yale Law School Law and Media Program (LAMP) announces an opportunity for journalists to receive full funding to attend CFP: Technology Policy 08.

CFP: Technology Policy 08 will begin with a full day of tutorials and programming specifically geared toward journalists writing about information technology and policy, followed by a networking reception for journalists and other participants in the Law and Media Program.

We invite you to take advantage of this opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of US technology policy in the information age.

Journalists writing on privacy, intellectual property, telecommunications and cyberlaw are encouraged to apply for conference funding, which will include travel, hotel, meals and any registration fees for the full conference.

To apply, please send a cover letter explaining your interest in the program, along with your resume and three writing samples (by e-mail and hard copy) to Tracey Parr (tracey.parr@yale.edu), Yale Law School, P.O. Box 208215, New Haven, CT 06520-8215, by March 31, 2008. Up to twenty journalists will receive conference funding. Applicants accepted for conference funding will be notified by April 4, 2008.

Basque Rides Again!

2008-04-16T12:55:42-05:00

A good number of my friends know my love of the Basque tradition of communal meals. I was first introduced to Basque in Urbana, Illinois and immediately became a core member and instigator. While Basque is about fun and camaraderie and food -- there's usually a good bit of experimentation as well (though rarely with liquid oxygen and nitrogen.

When I moved to the East Coast, I worried that I might be leaving behind the notion of fantastic foods and epicurean gatherings. Boy was I wrong. Dinner conversation gave way to small gatherings, which ended up with further pondering, and last month, to the continuation of the tradition.

Here's menus & commentary from the past two Basques:

Asheville, N.C. endorses new Wi-Fi business model

2008-04-14T11:32:28-05:00

I've been talking with folks down in North Carolina about innovative business models that will facilitate public private partnerships whereby municipalities work with non-profit organizations to deliver broadband services. As the Philly model continues to flail about (though I'm hopeful for some resolution in the near future on this), alternative systems are being implemented. Wally Bowen over at theMountain Area Information Network (MAIN) has been heading up the charge. A month or so ago I wrote to the Asheville City Council supporting the plan that MAIN was proposing. And I'm quite happy to see such a resounding endorsement for what is certain to become a remarkably interesting municipal wireless project.

Here's more:

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- A proposal to make Asheville a "Wi-Fi City" -- via city-wide, wireless Internet access -- won unanimous endorsement March 25 from the Asheville City Council.

The plan, put forth by the nonprofit Mountain Area Information Network (MAIN), would provide secure wireless coverage -- including mobile access -- throughout the city.

"I'm pleased that the City of Asheville has officially endorsed MAIN's 'Wi-Fi City' proposal" said Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy. "This effort will not only help bridge the Digital Divide in our community. It also signals to the nation that Asheville has a 21st-century vision for an inclusive and sustainable Digital Economy. . . ."

Read the entire story: http://www.main.nc.us/wifi.

New York Times & Wall Street Journal Agree -- The US Needs Wireless Broadband Innovation.

2008-04-02T11:39:00-05:00

It's rare that the New York Times and Wall Street Journal agree so wholeheartedly on things, but this past week has seen both issue calls for wireless innovation across the United States. The New York Times issued a pro-municipal wireless editorial that, among other things, states:

Broadband service is no longer a luxury. It has become a basic part of the infrastructure of education and democracy. EarthLink should fulfill the commitments it made. Even in these tough economic times, cities should keep pushing municipal Wi-Fi and looking for partners and plans that can make it a reality.

Lee Gomes from the Wall Street Journal issued a pro-White Space Device column that focuses on the successes and potential uses of these new technologies:

The white-space proposal has been in the news in recent weeks because of its strong backing by Microsoft and Google, among others. White space, they say, could help create a "Wi-Fi on steroids," with faster connection speeds running over longer distances than are possible now in the hot spots common in homes and coffee shops. As for interference with TV broadcasts -- or with wireless microphones, which use this same spectrum -- that can be easily handled. Before transmitting any data, a white-space networking device would "listen" to detect if a frequency is in use. A version of this "smart sensing" is already widely and successfully deployed by the U.S. military.

Here are the full stories:

Diminishing ISPs, ITU and OECD Ranking -- Could There Possibly be a Relationship.

2008-03-31T15:00:44-05:00

I was recently looking at data over the course of a week from the US Census, the ITU, and the OECD, all looking at indicators of broadband services in the United States. What grabbed my attention was the remarkably close relationship between the diminishing number of Internet Service Providers and the global standing of the United States when it comes to broadband penetration rates. Clearly there's a relationship here, the question is, what's driving this mess? Here's the data in graphical format (sources are the US Census, ITU, and OECD):

Boston, MA Goes Live with First Pilot Project.

2008-03-31T11:04:11-05:00

Alicia Mickelsen sent me Belair's press release on the Boston pilot wireless deployment. For everyone that's been wondering, "What's Boston been up to?" Here's the answer:

Since its soft-launch in late August, openairboston.net estimates that the network has already had over 3,000 unique users, with average session length of 79 minutes per user. The network now makes it possible for approximately 8,000 households within the pilot area access to the Internet for as little as $9.95 a month.

I have included the press releases on the network below, from BelAir Networks and from the city of Boston. If you would like to learn more about the network, I would be happy to put you in touch with a BelAir Networks executive.

Thank you,

Alicia

Alicia Mickelsen
Breakaway Communications for BelAir Networks
156 Fifth Avenue, Suite 410, New York, NY 10010
(212) 616-6002 | amick@breakawaycom.com

OpenAirBoston.net Wireless Network Goes Live With BelAir Networks

BelAir Networks industry-leading wireless mesh nodes power high-speed Wi-Fi network in Roxbury and Dorchester

Kanata, Ontario — March 31, 2008 — BelAir Networks, the leading provider of mobile broadband mesh networks, today announced that its equipment is powering a next generation wireless broadband network in the Roxbury and Dorchester neighborhoods of Boston, Massachusetts. The network is the result of the company’s partnership with openairboston.net, a private, non-profit corporation created to develop, implement and operate a network to provide wireless internet access throughout the City of Boston.

The Grove Hall/Dudley Square Wireless Pilot Network is formally launching today in a ‘Wire Cutting’ ceremony hosted by Mayor Thomas Menino at 10:45 a.m. at the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School, 270 Columbia Road, Dorchester, MA.

“We are pleased to work with BelAir Networks on this important project,” stated Mayor Thomas Menino. “BelAir’s proven track record delivering carrier-class wireless networks supporting a variety of public safety, public works and public access applications in leading cities around the world make them the ideal partner for our openairboston.net initiative.”

BelAir Networks is the leading provider of mobile broadband mesh network solutions with more than 400 deployments worldwide in leading cities such as Minneapolis, London and Toronto, high-profile venues such as Lincoln Center in New York, and Dolphin Stadium in Miami and in mission-critical Defense applications including the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston. BelAir Networks high performance products offer the industry’s highest capacity, lowest latency and fastest roaming speeds.

“We are committed to providing our city with best-in-class wireless access and BelAir Networks has been instrumental in helping us deliver on our commitment to create a truly innovative wireless ecosystem for the citizens of Boston,” said Pam Reeve, CEO, openairboston.net.

BelAir Networks entered 2008 as the worldwide Wi-Fi mesh market leader according to Dell’Oro Group’s recently released Q4 2007 Wireless LAN quarterly report

The company’s market share achievements and consistent growth reflect the widespread adoption of its comprehensive mesh networking product portfolio in public safety networks, municipal networks, port and mass transit installations, hotel and venue networks, defense applications, and plant deployments around the world.

”We are proud to support this innovative project that is bringing next generation wireless broadband to the city of Boston,” stated Bernard Herscovich, President and CEO, BelAir Networks. "BelAir Networks delivers the industry's highest performance and most reliable mobile broadband mesh networks to leading cities worldwide and we are pleased to join with openairboston.net in this important effort.”

About openairboston.net

openairboston.net (OAB) is a private, non-profit corporation created to develop, implement and operate a network to provide affordable wireless internet access throughout the City of Boston. This is an exciting opportunity for Boston to take the lead in one of the most important developments the next twenty years, in which people, companies and communities will become both more connected and less tethered, as wireless technologies evolve. For more information, please visit http://www.openairboston.net

About BelAir Networks

BelAir Networks is the first company to offer scalable, mobile wireless broadband mesh networking solutions with the highest quality for data, voice and video. The company teams with world-class global partners to deploy proven, cost-effective wireless broadband mesh networks. BelAir’s wireless networking solutions are built on the only multi-service architecture for Wi-Fi, WiMAX, 4.9 GHz, 5.9 GHz and 4.4 GHz spectrum bands. BelAir Networks patented solution deploys quickly, blending into the physical infrastructure of downtown business districts, hotels and resorts, campuses, transportation systems and ports. Founded in 2001, BelAir Networks is a privately held company. For more information about BelAir products and customers, visit www.belairnetworks.com.

Mayor, openairboston.net Announce Completion of Boston’s First Wireless Pilot

Menino Heralds Non-Profit, Partners, and Community in Making Grove Hall/Dudley Square Network A Reality

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today joined openairboston.net CEO Pam Reeve at a ‘wire-cutting’ ceremony in celebration of the City’s first wireless pilot network in Roxbury and Dorchester’s Grove Hall and Dudley Square neighborhoods. The ceremony marked a major step forward in Boston’s wireless initiative, which in now delivering high-speed service to one of Boston’s most underserved neighborhoods.

“Today, we are celebrating a significant milestone in bringing the power of the Internet to a community which may not have enjoyed access in the past,” said Mayor Menino. “We are thrilled to deliver on this commitment at no cost to the taxpayers, and we hope folks will take advantage of low-cost Internet access that is now available to them.”

Originally announced in October of 2006, the pilot has been overseen by former telecommunications executive, Pam Reeve, as CEO of openairboston.net, who has worked in collaboration with a team of City officials. Although the build-out was complete at the end of last summer, Menino said the City waited until now to announce the network to ensure signal strength and reliability for many users. The wireless pilot network is made up of 64 wireless radios installed atop buildings, light poles, and traffic signals, creating what is known as a wireless mesh network.

The pilot, which covers approximately a single square-mile of Boston, was enabled by hundreds of thousands of dollars of in-kind donations and equipment from four major contributing technology partners. Galaxy Internet Services is the Internet Service Provider (ISP), BelAir Networks provided the pilot’s radios, metroNEXT provided the backhaul for the network, and AboveNet provided the wireless network’s connection to the World Wide Web.

"Galaxy Internet Services is glad to participate in this WiFi launch. Even while testing the network in this relatively small neighborhood, we have already logged thousands of unique users,” said Sandy Bendremer and Bob Carp of Galaxy Internet Services. “We are very encouraged about the potential for WiFi access for every corner of Boston.”

Bernard Herscovich, President and CEO of BelAir Networks, added, “We are proud to support this innovative project that is bringing next generation wireless broadband to the city of Boston. BelAir Networks delivers the industry's highest performance and most reliable mobile broadband mesh networks to leading cities worldwide and we are pleased to join with openairboston.net in this important effort.”

“MetroNEXT and its partners have delivered fiber-speed network capacity to Boston’s first pilot network that not only supports Internet access – but also enables many new business and consumer services,” said Tom Wetmore, CEO and founder of metroNEXT. “The possibilities include voice over Internet phone calls, security & environmental monitoring, video, and distance learning – all without the huge expense of laying fiber-optic cable.”

In addition, Reeve said, the pilot would not have been possible without the monetary donations of the Boston Foundation and Partners Healthcare, and pointed out that several community organizations have worked closely with openairboston.net to develop marketing strategies for the pilot’s unveiling.

“This initiative has benefited from the collaboration of some of Boston’s brightest technology and business minds, wireless technology partners, and many other contributors – all of whom have shown incredible commitment to the project,” said Reeve. “The pilot has taken us longer than anyone would have hoped. But we’ve learned every step of the way, and I believe Boston’s Wireless Initiative is now in an even better position to succeed given all this project has taught us.”

Today’s announcement marks a major achievement for Boston’s Wireless Initiative, which comes at a time when many other cities across the country have abandoned their plans for municipal wireless entirely. The initiative was first launched in response to recommendations made by the Wireless Task Force to build a low-cost network designed to offer inexpensive access to broadband, which then ISPs could utilize to deliver service to residents. Menino asked Reeve to carry the initiative forward as interim CEO; 8 months later she filed incorporation papers for the non-profit, openairboston.net.

Since then, Menino said, the non-profit has begun designing the organization’s framework, executed contracts with the City and outside vendors, and completed work on the Grove Hall and Dudley Square pilot. Reeve said she now estimates the cost of a city-wide build-out to be significantly less than the $16-20 million originally cited in the Task Force report; estimates are now somewhere around $10-$12 million. openairboston.net is currently working with the City to identify neighborhoods for additional pilot networks.

When it Comes to White Space Devices, Microsoft Does What it Does Best... Sucks!

2008-03-27T19:22:35-05:00

I'm sure that the NAB will soon be releasing a flurry of PR decrying the failure of a white space device during FCC testing. Which device, you may ask? Why, the Microsoft one, of course. And which device failed miserably during the first round of FCC testing? Why, the Microsoft one, of course. But didn't a white space device suffer a power failure last month -- which one was that? Why, the Microsoft one, of course.

So what's the National Association of Broadcasters going to go to town on -- declaring that the technology simply won't work based on the failure of a single company's device? Why, yes, you guessed it...

So why is the National Association of Broadcasters spending so much time and energy filling the press with the continuing failure of Microsoft's device? Probably because they're scared as hell that someone might otherwise point out that the DARPA XG Project has already proofed out the viability of white space device technology.

"Hold on a second," you might ask, "white space device technology has already been proofed out and deployed by the military?!?" Indeed! In fact, on September 18, 2006 Shared Spectrum publicly announced the successful testing of DARPA XG technology for battlefield warfare. Assuming for a second that physics works the same for both military and consumer products, if white space device technology works for battlefield warfare, I'm of the opinion that it's going to work in my living room as well. In fact, DARPA XG technology was successfully tested in civilian situations at DYSPAN in Ireland on April 16-20, 2007.

So why is this even an issue? Because physics, reality, precedent, and data are coming up against a monstrously large PR and FUD campaign by one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington, DC -- the National Association of Broadcasters. Which begs the question, who sucks even more than Microsoft?

Update on Bell Canada Degrading Traffic of Independent ISPs.

2008-03-27T12:07:38-05:00

As I reported earlier, Bell Canada has been caught throttling traffic from independent service providers. More data is now coming in and the extent of the bandwidth throttling has been remarkable. Here's a 24hr snapshot from one ISP:

Meanwhile, independent ISPs have set up a map of where they're being discriminated against -- as it turns out, Bell Canada has been doing this to scores and scores of competitors. Here's the map:

View Larger Map

The Coming Data Obfuscation Arms Race.

2008-03-27T11:48:32-05:00

FCC Commissioner McDowell presented at the Tech Policy Summit pointing to the recently announced Comcast/Bittorrent "solution" whereby Comcast would stop degrading Bittorrent traffic as a huge success. Personally, I think the so-called solution does nothing to protect end-users from future malfeasance by network operators, so I asked Commissioner McDowell what the FCC is doing to prevent what will certainly become a data obfuscation arms race from developing. Here's the problem in a few easy-to-understand steps:

1. A network operator discriminates against certain types of traffic.

2. End users begin to encrypt their traffic and pass data from applications and/or services that are discriminated against through an encrypted tunnel (e.g., VPN, SSH, etc.).

3. The network operator is now forced into a fairly problematic decision -- if they don't discriminate against encrypted traffic, more and more services and applications will encrypt their traffic; but if they do discriminate against encrypted traffic, they're saying, in essence, that if you want privacy, you will get worse service.

4. Meanwhile, corporations that rely upon VPN for their everyday dealings, will scream bloody murder; so then network operators are forced into an even more dastardly decision -- discriminate wholesale against classes of users. In other words, all residential-class users will be foisted off into a low-priority tier of service.

So how can this be avoided?

Build capacity.

A great resource discussing the rationality of this solution is David Levinson and Andrew Odlyzko's, "Too expensive to meter: The influence of transaction costs in transportation and communication". But the main issue is that building capacity is the best solution for end users, while the tiering and further commodification of existing bandwidth comes at the literal expense of end users.

Tech Policy Summit and the Future of Wide-Area Public Broadband.

2008-03-26T20:22:13-05:00

I'm here in California at the Tech Policy Summit and just presented on a panel, "The Future of Wide-Area Public Broadband." The panel's been covered by Capitol Valley Media here.

Here's a picture from Andrew (I'm the first seated fellow on the left):

What's Google Doing with White Spaces? A Quick Synopsis of their Recent FCC Filing.

2008-03-26T20:14:22-05:00

A lot of folks have been asking me for my take on the recent Google ex parte filing at the FCC.

Google put in its ex parte on Friday, March 21, 2008. The final draft of the document does reflect some of the input that the New America Foundation provided, but still offers proposals that are particularly discouraging for ad-hoc (decentralized networking).

Here's a brief synopsis:

1. Google (and 30+ other major corporations) are developing an open stack mobile system (a.k.a., the Android phone) as a part of the Open Handset Alliance and want to use the white space as a medium for these new technologies.

2. Google is offering, "to provide, at no cost to third parties, the technical support necessary to make these plans happen; this could include intellectual property and reference designs for underlying technologies, open geo-databases maintained by Google, and other supporting infrastructure."

3. Google is backing Motorola's plan for "a combination of geo-location (to protect broadcast TV) and beacons (to protect wireless microphones)."

4. Google is proposing a safe harbor on channels 36-38 for wireless microphones.

5. Google states that "the combination of geo-location, beacons, and 'safe harbors' is more than sufficient to ensure the protection of all licensed uses."

6. Google reiterates that the technology has already been proofed out in the Darpa XG project and that DARPA XG systems are now in use by the military (the field deployment was new information): "widely used 802.11a-based WiFi currently supports spectrum sensing to protect military radar from interference. Moreover, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) neXt Generation (XG) program has graduated from lab experiments to field use of the technology. Both examples represent an important existence proof for the viability of spectrum sensing, where the risks of failure inarguably are far greater than those potentially posed to broadcast TV and wireless microphones."

7. Google asks for the creation of a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to explore the geolocational/beacon solution.

You can read the March 21, 2008 Google ex parte here.

Bell Canada Degrading Traffic of Independent ISPs.

2008-03-26T16:47:52-05:00

Steven Mansour just pinged me about Bell Canada purposefully degrading traffic of independent internet service providers. This is a huge violation of network neutrality and exactly the kind of behavior by telco incumbents that must be made illegal. Michael Geist looks to have broken the story -- I'm sure it'll be coming out to the more mainstream media momentarily.