The business of Internet, wireless, and telecom law.

Femtocells Head to Head with WiFi Dual Mode Phones

Posted by Barlow Keener

Femtocells could revolutionize cellular service in terms of diverting cell traffic off the network, providing great service in buildings and homes, increasing bandwidth speed, and, most significantly, increasing the service providers’ footprints outside their licensed areas.  Cell phone service providers, like Sprint or T-Mobile, would be able use femtocells to off-load traffic to their customer’s provided [...]

Spectrum Auctions: What is the downside?

Posted by Barlow Keener

It is important for Americans and for the U.S. regulatory policy that spectrum be purchased and used, not purchased and under used.  Under utilization prevents competition and growth of broadband penetration.  The problem with the FCC spectrum auctions, reflected in the highly politicized upcoming 700 MHz auction, is that many of the more recent auctions have been [...]

Frontline Wireless Is Out Front in the 700 MHz Spectrum Rulemaking

Posted by Barlow Keener

Former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt’s company, Frontline Wireless, is proposing that one of the requirements of the 700 Mhz auction is to require that certain spectrum be built out by the winner for public safety. GigaOM had a great blog on Frontline last month.  I heard Chairman Hundt speak at the Boston TIECON 2007 conference  [...]

700 Mhz Auction is Heating Up

Posted by Barlow Keener

The upcoming 700 Mhz auction keeps heating politically. This should be a good sign as in the past the voices of wireless commentators without very large company backing were ignored and politicians left the auctions to the expertise of the FCC.   This auction is different from prior auctions because a) television stations are aware of [...]

Unlicensed 700MHz: More Revenue, More Competition, More Innovation

Posted by Barlow Keener

On April 17, 2007, the Wall Street Journal’s editorial team weighed in against proposals by Cyren Call, led by Nextel founder Morgan O’Brien, and by Frontline Wireless, led by Reed Hunt former FCC Commissioner, relating to the FCC’s up coming rulemaking decision about what to do with the upper 700MHz spectrum that will remain after [...]