Wireless broadband enables major
advances in almost every important application that affects our
society. Thanks to the commitment of so many in this audience who
paved the way for signing the Cooperation Agreement, the world is on
verge of great advances via several varieties of Fourth and Third
Generation networks.
WCA’s view is that a technology-neutral
approach is crucial to prepare for the exciting applications in the
Information Society we are each striving to achieve. Important
technology developments occur on a daily basis, leading to an
uncertain future. If we proceed with an open mind, regulators and
other opinion leaders have a more reliable way to collect from
industry the business and technical input needed for wise decisions.
This does not mean there is never a time to choose a technology –
only that an open mind is vital. This is much like a court:
Decisions are made, but always with the possiblity of error, review
and new measures.
Concerning specific strategies,
WCA is focusing increasingly on applications. This is fully congruent
with this conference’s impressive announcement by the ITU and CITEL
concerning the Cooperation Agreement. Applications for 4G networks
will drive demand far beyond consumer services helping individuals and
business. These applications are expanding to encompass education,
tele-medicine, public safety, disaster relief, critical infrastructure
and improved agriculture. Moreover, it helps community economic
development in both rural and urban communities, along with such
specialty areas as tourism. The link between Gross Domestic Product
and Broadband penetration is clearly illustrated in a recent study by
the OECD, with a correlation of .6%.
Wireless broadband services have
vital political implications beyond economic progress and improving
GDP. The services can enable many Internet applications that allow
for the free flow of information beyond the mass media’s control.
This helps foster individual freedom and democracy. Our industry
plays a critical role in enabling affordable, IP access that can be
used to publicize human rights abuses and protect democratic freedoms.
At the same time, these same networks can provide enormous -- and very
welcome -- efficiencies enabling better security at borders and
harbors, and also for law enforcement -- as well as for a modern,
mobile military for defense.
WCA has important ties to leaders
in each of these applications, in part by leveraging our long track
record of regulatory work. This is summarized in many places on our
website (www.wcai.com),
particularly in the sections on committees, conventions and
newsletters. WCA has the advantage of more latitude for
experimentation to help develop new markets than most organizations.
This is thanks to WCA’s strong tradition of entrepreneurship. WCA
draws on many years experience in finding common ground between major
established players and new entrants. The result brings both
competition and vitality to the broadband industry, while avoiding the
common tendency of those who work with start-ups to hype technology
fads.
WCA’s regulatory work seeks to
reach a consensus between industry and regulating bodies on
complicated technical and policy issues that enable deployments of
advanced systems. One of our most notable successes came
through years of advocacy to national and international regulators to
authorize mobile, interactive networks in what had been a fixed band
of 2.5-2.7 GHz originally used primarily for video but now considered
one of the most attractive bands for WiMAX and other 4G networks. That
work has been supplemented by numerous parallel efforts in bands
ranging from 700 MHz up to 80+ GHz, including important work on bands
used for backhaul and other critical infrastructure needs.
In general, we believe that the
outlook for the wireless industry is strong -- so long as regulatory
policies facilitate deployments. Such policies should include the
following elements:
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Technology and Service Neutrality: This increases competition.
Removing the regulatory advantage one technology or service has over
another helps level the playing field for new competitors.
-
Spectrum Harmonization: This lowers costs. Availability of
spectrum is critical for enabling mass-market deployments. Volume
drives the economies of scale that will enable the industry to
deliver the most cost-effective, highest performance services and
equipment possible to consumers.
-
Basic Regulation to Minimize Interference: Operators need
minimal technical and operational requirements to ensure they can
benefit from the full value of their spectrum and are not subject to
interference from other operators.
-
Regulatory Certainty: Regulatory uncertainty can dampen
investment, innovation and market entry.
Everyone is familiar with the
complexity of these issues when regulators try to forecast the future
for competition and the public. Yet the benefits are worth it, as
illustrated by exciting applications enabled by broadband and fully
congruent with the themes of the Information Society agenda.
Andrew Kreig
President
WCA
Additional Information: A complete presentation on this
subject was done by Mr. Kreig during the FORUM OF CITEL
“Convergence: Transition of traditional networks and
services in the Americas ” that was held in
San José, Costa Rica, August 21,
2007.
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