Science Addiction

A dormant blog by Devanshu Mehta

Tag: wireless

October 23, 2008

What Genius Planned the FCC Meeting for the 4th of November?

The FCC commissioners plan to vote on “white spaces” in their next meeting on the 4th of November.

Detour #1: What are “white spaces”, you ask? Why I have a nifty video for you explaining just that. And this from EFF:

For those new to the issue, “white space” refers to the unused spectrum that exists between broadcast TV channels. The FCC has been weighing the merits of allowing newer, smarter wireless communication devices to operate in the the otherwise unused spectrum — similar to the way that Wi-Fi devices exist today.

Detour #2: Who had the brilliant idea of planning the meeting for the 4th of November, when a certain Barry O. and John M. will be fighting it out in the title match of 2008 and the right to insult foreign dictators for the next 4 years?

Back on topic. Predictably, the National Association of Broadcasters has sent an “emergency” request to remove white spaces from that meeting. After 4.5 years of deliberation and 30,000 comments, it is an emergency.

I understand everybody is tired and cranky after all that time, but really- if you cry foul every time something comes up for a vote, people might just think you expect to lose.

In the words of David Isenberg:

Sorry, NAB, the FCC isn’t here to protect the broadcasters. It is time to test this idea in the real world.

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October 10, 2008

Think About the Children Award: Delta and American Airlines

Ars Technica is reporting that American Airlines and Delta announced this week that they would block “inappropriate” sites on their in-flight WiFi service.

As recently as last month, they had left the matter up to the good judgment of their customers. It seems like the judgment of their customers has crashed with the economy and is no longer trustworthy.

As Jacqui at Ars Technica points out, travelers have always been able to bring video porn and “men’s magazines” on to the plane- it has always been up to their “good judgment”. The Internet changes nothing- except the ease with which the gatekeepers can control access to content.

Keep in mind, the problem here is not porn (nor it is the theoretical hazard of WiFi on a plane). The problem is: who gets to decide which site gets blocked. What is inappropriate? Of course, this problem will blow up in their face when the service enters the mainstream. Expect some genius to set up a web site where people can submit legitimate web sites that were blocked by AA and Delta- which will then become a PR fiasco for the airlines. They will have inadvertently blocked a competitor, or a detractor or the ACLU or the NAACP or something much simpler, and will be faced with the wrath of a thousand blogs, with the mainstream media not far behind.

In anticipation of that day, the inaugural Think About the Children Award goes to Delta and American Airlines! This award is reserved for those entities that, in the name of protecting children, use a sledgehammer to thread a needle.

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October 10, 2008

More on Wireless Devicess on Airplanes

Yesterdays story about Australian officials blaming a wireless mouse and other consumer electronics for severe problems in their avionics left me very confused. Either they were looking for an easy scapegoat or there is something seriously wrong with airline security.

In 2004, the FCC was considering lifting the ban on wireless devices in airplanes. However, in March of 2007 the FCC terminated that effort. This was their statement:

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules prohibit the use of cellular phones using the 800 MHz frequency and other wireless devices on airborne aircraft. This ban was put in place because of potential interference to wireless networks on the ground. […]

The FCC determined that the technical information provided by interested parties in response to the proposal was insufficient to determine whether in-flight use of wireless devices on aircraft could cause harmful interference to wireless networks on the ground. Therefore, it decided at this time to make no changes in the rules prohibiting in-flight use of such devices.

The question is- in an environment where 4 ounces of liquid are deemed unsafe for travel, you would think the heavy-handed TSA would have banned cell phones and wireless mice a long time ago.

I’m not suggesting that they do that- in fact, I want someone to call Qantas and the Australian Transport Safety Board’s bluff. Or prove them right and take the entire airline industry down- because which suit wants to travel without their cell phone, laptop or PDA?

(Also: Scienceline investigates why you have to turn off your iPod at take off and landing.)

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September 26, 2008

What are the “White Spaces”?

There is a lot of talk recently how the FCC should free the “white spaces”. Google’s Larry Page recently alleged that TV broadcasters and wireless companies have injected politics in to the FCC testing process. But what are the white spaces? The People’s Production House put together a video for the non-techies:

[via the Google Public Policy Blog]

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