Promoting Competition, Innovation, and Public Safety with Wireless Broadband

1. Promoting Competition, Innovation,and Public Safetywith Wireless Broadband May 2007

2. Overview: Policy Priorities “Keeping our competitive edge in the world economy requires focused policies that lay the groundwork for continued leadership in innovation, exploration and ingenuity.” American Competitiveness InitiativeFebruary 2007 • Broadband: President’s goal of universal, affordable broadband access by 2007. • Competition: More competition needed in U.S. wireless and broadband markets to promote IT investment. • “Virtuous cycle” - Competition drives increased innovation, which drives increased consumer demand for services, applications. • President’s Spectrum Initiative: Focus on efficient ways to manage spectrum.

3. Frontline proposal provides a market-based solution to critical telecom problems • Brings competition to telecom markets through wholesale independent wireless network, enabling pipes that deepen broadband penetration. • Brings Internet innovation to the walled garden wireless market by creating an open access platform, foster new services and applications. • Ensures nationwide solution for public safety interoperability with a state-of-the-art broadband network via a public-private partnership.

4. Public SafetyPrivate Partnership 3 Service Rule Proposals • Designate 10 MHz block of commercial spectrum next to public safety • Network sharing with public safety priority on commercial for emergencies • Build out requirements ensure service to nearly every American (>98%) • Commercial licensee obtains secondary access to unused PS capacity • Require “open IP” wholesale commercial service for this spectrum • Any device, with “no harm” rules (like Part 68) • Any service provider, different QOS for different needs • Roaming solution for rural and other carriers seeking to fill in holes Key Benefits • “Free Buildout for PS” • Double the spectrum available for emergencies • Local unit level command and control • National Interoperability and roaming • Innovation from open device and application interconnect

5. Stakes are high: FCC decisions will shape the next generation of telecommunications • Wholesale rule required to align incentives to create maximum competition • Public-Private sharing rules required to realize efficiencies of sharing spectrum and infrastructure with public safety • Open Access provision required to unleash Internet innovation in the wireless space • DE credit required to enable new entrants rather than the same old faces Benefits of Frontline E-Block proposal • Minimalist, market-based, non-invasive • No legislation needed • Uses only 10 out of 80 MHz allocated for commercial use in 700 MHz band, and less than 3% of all CMRS spectrum