UPDATE 2: With less than 24 hours left, I have just received word that the e-mails folks have been sending are being heard at the FCC. It's vitally important that everyone who supports unlicensed wireless let their voices be heard. Drop an e-mail to the FCC and be sure to fill out the comment form (more info below). Please take 5 minutes right now.

Harold Feld sent along the following useful info:

Key issues on which decisions have not yet been made and where comments may prove helpful:

1) Allowing low power mobile devices in the band is critical to expanding mesh.

2) Low power mesh requires non-exclusivity and cheap equipment. The Commission should not impose overly conservative
interference protection criteria that drive up price. Flexibility has been critical to the success of unlicensed as a
networking solution.

3) Mesh devices must be allowed to communicate with each other in a peer-to-peer fashion, rather than requiring mesh
devices to communicate with a high power base station.

4) Any system of licensing or registration must be non-exclusive; the Commission must not create a "first in time, first
in right" licensing systems.

Remember, things are turning our way. Be polite, be informative, and BE PERSISTENT.

Last week I got the word from DC that FCC is about to rule on the prime spectrum located between the frequencies of 3650 and 3700MHz. In a nutshell, the ruling may decide to open this frequency up for unlicensed use, or the FCC may decide to allow high-power, a type of licensed usage of these frequencies.

We've got until March 2, 2005 to send our comments to the FCC. Luckily, I have the e-mail addresses of the counsels to the FCC commissioners who will be deciding this issue and who need to hear the grassroots' perspectives on things. This is a chance for you to directly impact US national telecommunications policy -- supporting mesh networking and community wireless development -- all in one fell swoop. And it'll take you less than five minutes; here's all you need to do in 4 easy steps:

1. Draft up an e-mail to the following six folks:

• Paul Margie paul.margie@fcc.gov
• Barry Ohlson barry.ohlson@fcc.gov
• Sheryl Wilkerson sheryl.wilkerson@fcc.gov
• Jennifer Manner Jennifer.Manner@fcc.gov[Update: Jennifer appears to have left the FCC to work for Mobile Satellite Ventures. Her replacement is: John Branscome john.branscome@fcc.gov -- thanks to Chad for the heads-up]
• Sam Feder Sam.feder@fcc.gov
• Harold Feld hfeld@mediaaccess.org

(cc me if you'd like to have your comments posted publicly)

2. Ask the FCC (and these folks in particular) to:

A. Support and facilitate mesh networking;
B. Not obstruct or jeapardize, in any way, the primary function in this band of low-power transmissions at the community level;
C. Not establish a first-in-time, first-in-right site licensing regime for high-power in a so-called "unlicensed" frequency (which would set a horrendous precedent for the future of unlicensed).

3. Go to the FCC's Comment Upload Page [1] and file your comment (the proceeding number is 04-151).

4. Pass along this information -- rally the troops.

Want to read more background? No problem -- just point your browser to: http://www.wetmachine.com/index.php/item/227 [2] for more information on the proceeding and why is so vitally important for those of us who support wireless networking.