Broadband Policy Proposals for Indian Country

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


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)


Extending the 3650 MHz Band

3650 3675 3700

Restricted Unrestricted

3650 3675 3700

Restricted Unrestricted

Now

Proposal



• 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



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


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



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


Summary: A Return to Fort Belknap


Questions?


Broadband Policy Proposals for Indian Country

Technology

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