Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai is scheduled to speak at the popular Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday, confirming his rock-star status as a deregulatory hero to the center-right. His short talk, humorously titled “American Pai: The Courageous Chairman of the FCC,” will be followed by a panel discussion with fellow Republican FCC Commissioners Michael O’Rielly and Brendan Carr.
Pai will find himself in a friendly crowd of supporters for his innovation-friendly agenda — and there is a lot to celebrate. In just one year, Pai’s FCC has reversed sloppy net neutrality regulations, auctioned more spectrum for commercial use, and rolled out a next-gen transmission standard.
Unfortunately, the reception to Pai’s deregulatory agenda hasn’t been as warm as his crowd of supporters will inevitably be on Friday. The chairman has been lambasted by the media, received threats to his children, and been the subject of some absurd claims. Earlier this month, for example, the New York Times insinuated that Pai colluded with Sinclair Broadcast Group because he approved rules allowing television broadcasters to increase the number of stations they own. Of course, the rules apply to everyone, making these delusions of cronyism utterly laughable.
Pai should not be discouraged by the naysayers and continue his red tape-slashing campaign for the future of American innovation. One such move would be deregulating the usage of so-called “white spaces” to increase broadband access among underserved, rural communities.
Today, 34 million Americans live without broadband access, limiting their social networks, educational opportunities, job prospects, and, therefore, upward mobility. Broadband infrastructure to reach these largely rural areas has historically been expensive. However, innovative technology has been developed in recent years that could revolutionize access using TV white space:
White Space refers to the unused broadcasting frequencies in the wireless spectrum. Television networks leave gaps between channels for buffering purposes, and this space in the wireless spectrum is similar to what is used for 4G and so it can be used to deliver widespread broadband internet.
Typical home Wi-Fi can travel through two walls. White Space broadband can travel up to 10 kilometers, through vegetation, buildings, and other obstacles. Tablets, phones, and computers can all access this wireless internet using White Space through fixed or portable power stations. The actual amounts of spectrum vary by region, but White Space spectrum ranges from 470 MHz to 790 Mhz.
The tremendous strength of TV white spaces has earned its nickname as “super wi-fi.” One white space station could potentially connect multiple homes in rural areas, making it an extremely cost-effective option to expand broadband.
Microsoft has been the industry leader in spearheading white space technology, successfully connecting more than 185,000 people in 20 countries. These positive results could be multiplied in the states if only the FCC updated its spectrum rules.
The current rules, last updated in 2015, limit access to frequencies labeled for low-power television providers. The FCC has already signaled an interest in white space technology by approving experimental databases and devices to power the technology. By deregulating the rules concerning white space spectrum, Chairman Pai’s FCC can double down on its commitment to innovation.
Casey Given (@CaseyJGiven) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. He is the executive director of Young Voices.
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