Intellectual Property Law

Two possibly related developments

By Susan Crawford

A filing about the first Android device, scheduled for release in November.

A new group lobbying for freer use of the white spaces, sponsored by Google:  FreeTheAirwaves.

One of America’s most valuable natural resources is our “white spaces” — the radio airwaves, or spectrum, that have long carried analog TV signals. Three-fourths of the white spaces are completely unused today, and — especially once TV is broadcast in digital only starting in 2009 — could be used to kick-start a revolution in wireless technology, including universal wireless online access and numerous new products and services that can’t even be imagined today.

This fall, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will decide whether to make this spectrum available for anyone to use. At Google, we think more open access to the white spaces is essential, not only for companies like ours, but for society in general. But this outcome is far from certain, so we’ve joined a broad coalition of public interest groups and industry peers who are working to convince the FCC to free the airwaves and unleash the next generation of Internet innovation. We hope you’ll add your voice to the debate by signing our petition and helping spread the word about this campaign.

HT:  Stephen Schulze

[Plug:  I wrote a paper called The Radio and the Internet about the 700 MHz auction and the promise of the white spaces.]

Full post as published by Susan Crawford Blog on August 18, 2008 (boomark / email).