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Thomas Sugrue Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Federal Communications Commission

Thomas Sugrue Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Federal Communications Commission Developments in FCC Wireless Policy December 11, 2000. 1) Spectrum Management Principles 2) Status Report: Mobile Services in the U.S. 3) M-Commerce: Market Potential and Regulatory Issues.

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Thomas Sugrue Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Federal Communications Commission

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  1. Thomas Sugrue • Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau • Federal Communications Commission • Developments in FCC Wireless Policy • December 11, 2000

  2. 1) Spectrum Management Principles 2) Status Report: Mobile Services in the U.S. 3) M-Commerce: Market Potential and Regulatory Issues

  3. Spectrum Management Principles Some Basic Concepts

  4. Point A 1 Second 10 Cycles / 1 Second = 10 Hertz Frequency • Frequency is the number of times that a wave's peak passes a fixed point in a specific period of time

  5. Frequency (cont.) • Frequency is measured in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz) • For example: • Cellular phones produce radio waves with frequencies around 800 million Hz (800 MHz) • PCS phones produce radio waves with frequencies around 1,900 million Hz (1900 MHz) • 1,000 Hz = 1 KiloHertz (kHz) • 1,000,000 Hz = 1 MegaHertz (MHz) • 1,000,000,000 Hz = 1 GigaHertz (GHz)

  6. Electromagnetic Spectrum • The set of all possible frequencies (an infinite number) is called the "electromagnetic spectrum" • The subset of frequencies from 3,000 cycles per second to 300 billion cycles per second (3 KHz to 300 GHz) is known as the "radio spectrum" Electromagnetic Spectrum

  7. FCC Responsibilities • Allocations - What Services in What Bands? • Assignments - Who Gets the Licenses? • Service Rules - How Can Licensee Operate?

  8. Importance of Spectrum Management • Demand for wireless services exploding. • Wireless data and internet services will put even greater demands on spectrum. • Available spectrum below 3 GHz very scarce.

  9. Spectrum Licensing Policy in the U.S. • Regulatory Reform • Competition • Flexibility • Licensing Reform - Auctions • Economic Deregulation

  10. Spectrum Licensing Policy in the U.S. • As a result of these developments • New providers have entered and flourished. • Prices have decreased dramatically • Subscribership has increased substantially • Multiple new digital technologies have proliferated.

  11. Status Report: Mobile Services in the U.S.

  12. BTAs with Mobile Telephone Competition BTAs with > 2 Operators BTAs with <= 2 Operators Markets with More Than Two Mobile Telephone Providers: September 1995

  13. Markets with More Than Two Mobile Telephone Providers: September 2000

  14. Mobile Telephone Competition:September 2000 Source: FCC

  15. Spectrum Cap • Applies to current allocation of 180 MHz of spectrum for mobile telephony service. • Prohibits any entity from holding more than 45 MHz of such spectrum in a geographic area. • Effect is that there must be at least four licensees in each geographic area. • FCC will initiate new rulemaking to examine spectrum cap policies by end of this year.

  16. National Carrier Subscribers

  17. Historical and Projected Average Price Per Minute for Mobile Telephone Service Source: The Strategis Group, 2000

  18. Entry Level Pricing for DOR-Type Plans (1998 vs 2000) 600 minutes 450 minutes 300 minutes 150 minutes 180 minutes 20 minutes Source: Company Web sites.

  19. Mobile Telephone Operator Coverage in Minnesota Estimated by County

  20. Mobile Competition in Minnesota Number of Competitors in a Market

  21. Wireless Carriers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area • Cellular Carriers • AT&T Wireless and Verizon Wireless • PCS Carriers • Qwest, Sprint PCS, and VoiceStream • SMR Carriers • Nextel

  22. International Comparisons:Wireless Penetration: 2000-1Q Source: RCR’s Top 20 International Markets, RCR Wireless, June 19, 2000, at 18.

  23. International Comparisons:Total Subscribers: 2000-1Q Source: RCR Top 20 International Markets, RCR Wireless, June 19, 2000, at18.

  24. International Comparisons: Average Minutes of Use Per Month - 2000E Source: Michael I. Rollins, The Wireless EDGE, Salomon Smith Barney, May 23, 2000, at 5.

  25. International Comparisons: Average Annual Price for Basket of Digital Mobile Service for Personal Use Source: OECD, Cellular Mobile Pricing Structure and Trends, May 2000, at 79.

  26. M-Commerce: Market Potential and Regulatory Issues

  27. M-Commerce: Market Potential

  28. M-Commerce: Market Potential

  29. M-Commerce: Market Potential

  30. M-Commerce: Market Potential

  31. U.S. Mobile Internet Subscriber Growth Source: Perry Walter and Jason Bell, The Mobile Internet, Robinson-Humphrey, September 8, 2000, at 15.

  32. Worldwide Growth of M-Commerce Source: Perry Walter and Jason Bell, The Mobile Internet, Robinson-Humphrey, September 8, 2000, at 16.

  33. FCC Policies and Programs Regarding M-Commerce 1) Spectrum Availability 2) Location Information - Rollout of Service 3) Privacy and Location Information 4) Open Access

  34. 1) Spectrum Availability • C & F Block PCS - 1900 MHz • Includes many major markets (e.g. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago) • Start Date: December 12, 2000 • 700 MHz • Occupied by TV channels 60-69 • Start Date: March 6th, 2001

  35. 1) Spectrum Availability • International 3G Spectrum Process: • World Radio Conference (WRC) in Istanbul, May-June, 2000 • United States sought identification of multiple bands for additional IMT 2000 (3G) spectrum • U.S. Domestic 3G Spectrum Allocation Process: • FCC to study 2500-2690 MHz Band • currently used for Multipoint Distribution Service (MDS) and Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) • NTIA to study 1755-1850 MHz Band • U.S. government users, primarily DOD

  36. 2) Location Information Wireless Location -- U.S. Policy Issues • Public Safety Driven • Wireless carriers to begin providing location-specific information by October 1, 2001 for E911 purposes. • Will enable 911 operators to locate and provide assistance to wireless callers more quickly. • Requires upgrades to both carrier and public safety systems.

  37. Technologies in Development to Provide Location Information 2) Location Information • Network-based • e.g. Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) • Handset-based • e.g. Assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS) • “Hybrid” • e.g. Enhanced Observed Time Differential (E-OTD)

  38. Potential Commercial Applications for Location Information 2) Location Information • Provide location-specific information • Merchants • Banks • Restaurants • Notify users of sales and promotions • Provide driving directions and traffic information

  39. 3) Privacy and Location Information • “Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999” • Limits disclosure of location information (principally to public safety personnel). • Carriers must obtain their customers’ express prior consent to use or disclose location information for other purposes. • FCC rulemaking on location-based privacy rules will begin in First Quarter, 2001.

  40. 4) Open Access Major Modes of Accessing Internet • Telephone: open access applies • Cable: open access? - a major issue currently being debated • Mobile wireless: open access - will it become a big issue?

  41. Mobile Wireless Is Different... • Competitive Market • Nearly 70% of U.S. population can now choose from among 5 different mobile telephone providers. • Mobile Internet access still in its infancy • Carriers just began offering service this year in U.S. • Only a handful of sites can be accessed through Web-enabled mobile phones • Technological Factors • small screen, keypad, and memory capacity • content providers must alter sites and applications

  42. Conclusion Spectrum Management - An Ongoing Challenge Mobile Telephony - Going Strong and Getting Stronger M-Commerce - Big Potential, But Lots of Questions

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