Rewarding wireless spectrum efficiency

FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel teamed up with cell phone pioneer Marty Cooper to call for wireless innovation – one with a big reward.

Writing in the San Jose Mercury News, they said that the proliferation of billions of wireless devices means the issue is spectrum.  “But,” they said, “the laws of physics being what they are, we cannot create more. So we need to find ways to use the airwaves we have more efficiently.”

So, they offered a plan:

“The first person who finds a way to make spectrum use 50 to 100 times more efficient over the next decade would win. The reward could be spectrum itself – say 10 megahertz suitable for mobile broadband.

“Moreover, the reward would be a good deal. Ten megahertz of spectrum may not sound like much, but it could be sold or leased – and spectrum auctions at the FCC bring in billions.”

Interesting.

Marty Cooper and Jessica Rosenworcel: Here's how to expand wireless spectrum (SJ Mercury News, Sep. 26, 2014)