Bringing Broadband to Indian Country 4.22.09 Bhavin Parekh Julie Penner Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Bringing Broadband to Indian Country
4.22.09
Bhavin Parekh
Julie Penner
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Overview
• Broadband Connectivity in Indian Country
• Extending the Use of the 3650 MHz Band
• Increasing Power Limits in Unlicensed Spectrum
• Summary
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Broadband in Indian Country: Fort Belknap
• In 2007, the population was 1,184 & 96.8% American Indian
• Billings, MT (pop. 50K+) is 186 miles away
• Unemployment Rate is 26%
• Telephone Penetration Rate of 89.3% (2000)
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Extending the 3650 MHz Band
3650 3675 3700
Restricted Unrestricted
3650 3675 3700
Restricted Unrestricted
Now
Proposal
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Extending the 3650 MHz Band
• Proposal
• Grant case-by-case exemptions to operate restricted
contention-based protocol devices in the entire 50MHz
between 3650 & 3700.
• Requirements
• Located in or serving rural communities
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Extending the 3650 MHz Band
Benefits Concerns
• Allows tribal communities
access to additional spectrum
using existing devices
• Low risk of interference in rural
areas
• Spectrum is available now
• Can go limit restricted devices
to 25MHz again when
unrestricted devices are
available & cost effective
• Could decrease incentives to
develop unrestricted technology
• Tribal communities could
become dependent on the full
50MHz of spectrum
• High Switching Costs when
unrestricted devices are
available
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Increasing Power Limits in Unlicensed Spectrum
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Increasing Power Limits in Unlicensed Spectrum
• Proposal
• Allow increased power limits on unlicensed spectrum in
rural areas, 10W for 2.4GHz and 4-35W for 5.xGHz
• Requirements
• Database registration
• Burden to resolve interference issues
• Contention-based protocol
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Increasing Power Limits in Unlicensed Spectrum
Benefits Concerns
• Improved range for services
• Increase in number of
customers
• Reduced number of repeaters
• Efficient use of spectrum
• Lower risk of interference in
rural areas
• Licensed users worried about
Interference
• Unlicensed users worried about
interference: “Tragedy of the
Commons”
• Devices not yet available
• Interference outside of
boundaries
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Summary: A Return to Fort Belknap
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Questions?
Wednesday, April 22, 2009