FCC defies Dolly Parton, opens white space waves

Good way to extend the Digital Commons

Great foresight! Given the UK 3G auction fees (£24bn) seem to have an indefinate effect on SMS and roaming charges, would it not be great if the UK Digital Dividend (spectrum auctions)was given to the public in the form of extending internet access rather than a dividend in the form of yet another subscription charge?

No title is required.

"While we appreciate the FCC's attempt to address significant issues raised by broadcasters and others, every American who values interference-free TV should be concerned by today's Commission vote,"

Actually, I don't give a crap about interference-free TV (I hate advertisements, and watch everything on DVD even if it means I have to wait for it to come out), but I like the idea of more wireless bandwith floating around, so I think I'll back the FCC on this one, thank you very much.

Oh, and the wireless mic people can get stuffed - they're whitespace squatters themselves, why should they get special treatment over any other whitespace squatter?

-Daniel

Doesn't this mean...

...that there can now be no more new TV channels? If so this can only be a good thing.

Beach Towels

daniel: "Oh, and the wireless mic people can get stuffed - they're whitespace squatters themselves, why should they get special treatment over any other whitespace squatter?"

Just because the TVangelists (that's the God, telly and wireless mic argument inna bun) have become accustomed to having the place more or less to themselves doesn't mean they own it. Now another bunch of people are heading for the same public beach and are looking to set their beach towels out. "We've been coming here for years and now there's new people getting here and setting up in our favourite spots. This is our space and our beach". No, it's public. Anyone can get up early and claim their space. The ice cream van doesn't have a VIP area.

Only Idiots?

Count me as an idiot then. What little TV I watch, I watch over the air, and since "the magic of Digital TV" has the effect of drastically shrinking the coverage area to, uh, roughly the folks who can, and do, have cable, I suspect my life will shortly become TV-free. I get a watchable analog signal on about 20 channels, versus maybe 6 of the alleged 40 digital channels from the same group of towers.

And BTW: my brother-in-law has Comcast for TV and internet, and has to switch off the cable-modem (not just his computer) to get a digital TV signal (over that cable) that doesn't look like it's in the witness protection program.

So, in summary, digital is not immune to interference, it just hides it until it goes completely sideways. Such as, when your neighbour's "Wifi on Steroids" starts up a big torrent because "Heck, that TV station is 20 miles away, I couldn't be interfering with it."

@Mike

Actually, I consider the forced digital upgrade to be the final death blow to free-to-air television. While I almost never watch television now, I do have one - when it's important, I can turn on the news or get an emergency broadcast to find out what's going on. However, I will NOT upgrade my television just for this occasional viewing, especially when it is likely that during the times I need it most it will not work (storms, etc.). As far as I am concerned, broadcast television has already been killed, it just has not stopped twitching yet - it will do that in 2009.

-Daniel