The Radio and the Internet

Abstract:     
The airwaves offer the potential for contributing to enormous economic growth if they are used more efficiently for facilitating high-speed internet access, but recent industry and government actions have failed to follow this path. This Article evaluates the multi-billion-dollar 700 MHz auction regime established by the Federal Communications Commission in August 2007 as a case study in our national approach to this valuable resource, and argues that the public interest would best be served by having ubiquitous access to the internet be the top priority of communications policy. The Article criticizes the nearly exclusive focus of the FCC on the interests of incumbents and law enforcement, and suggests that spectrum policy be focused on enabling unlicensed uses of the airwaves that can assist the nation with online access.

Keywords: telecommunications, networks, cyberlaw, spectrum, fcc

Working Paper Series