A community self-described as one comprised “of more than 90,000 technology professionals and consumers committed to advancing innovation, growing our nation’s IT economy, and enhancing the fabric of our nation through technology” has urged the FCC to preserve no less than three TV white spaces channels in every market in the nation that can be used to carry “innovative broadband technology.”
The NAB says such a plan goes beyond folly, and could fool the Commission into putting broadcast TV in a perilous position.
The Voices for Innovation is behind the pro-white space lobbying.
What’s that? It’s an organization representing a host of tech company leaders, including IT company Gryphon Consulting President/CEO Frank Valdivieso and Ryan Risley, Chief Technology Officer of Wipfli LLP.
Wipfli employs nearly 2,000 people, and many are located in rural areas of Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. “Our goal is to employ and recruit from all areas of the country regardless of where someone lives,” Risley says. “Often an employee’s decision to live in a certain community is dependent on the availability of high-speed internet, which is essential for work and telecommuting. TV white spaces broadband would create more options for employees, allow us to extend our recruiting, and enable rural communities to attract and retain skilled workers who will contribute locally.”
Then there is Stephen Cracknell, founder and CIO of US Medical IT, which offers telemedicine in rural areas and also sees to benefit from TV white spaces broadband.
Collectively, the IT executives led the Voices of Innovation to write to the FCC, saying of TV white spaces broadband, “This emerging technology has the capability to bring affordable, reliable, high-speed internet to 34 million Americans who currently lack access. By taking this action, the FCC will spur private sector investment that will help connect all Americans to the internet, especially those living in rural and underserved communities.”
Closing the digital divide across America is a top priority for the Commission.
The NAB is well aware of this, but it is adamantly against the proposal to use TV “white spaces” to bring broadband internet connectivity to rural America — an effort recently brought to the FCC’s attention by Microsoft.
Responding to the Voices for Innovation letter, NAB EVP/Communications Dennis Wharton said, “Using even the most wildly optimistic TV White Space (TVWS) database numbers, TVWS advocates just need to connect 33,999,132 more devices to bring broadband internet to 34 million Americans without access.”
Wharton continued, “Despite sitting on the sidelines for years during the TVWS experiment, Microsoft now demands that the FCC oust television broadcasters and their viewers to pave the way for free spectrum for TVWS advocates. This would jeopardize local broadcast news, programming and lifeline emergency information for millions of Americans. The FCC and Members of Congress should not be fooled by Microsoft’s empty promises.”
