Spectrum Bridge

Spectrum Sharing: an innovative approach to dealing with wireless bandwidth demand

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:24:00 +0000

Spectrum Sharing: an innovative approach to dealing with wireless bandwidth demand

Data hungry smartphones, tablets and the Internet of Things (telematics, traffic sensors, etc.) are creating a digital traffic jam that could limit economic growth. Devices are starting to consume more bandwidth and spectrum than there is available, and government regulators are grappling with solutions, including completely rethinking of how bandwidth should be utilized.

A recent Nielsen report found that 46% of U.S. mobile phone users own a smartphone as of Q4 2011, and analysts expect that Apple will sell its 100th million iPad later this year. In fact, there are now more wireless devices than there are people living in the United States.

Smartphones consume 24 times more data than conventional cell phones and tablets use a whopping 120 times more bandwidth, according to The Wireless Association (CTIA), an industry trade group. Innovations like intelligent personal assistants push the limits of today’s finite carrier bandwidth closer toward a spectrum deficit or degradation in service.

It’s not just an industry concern. Even the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) anticipates a spectrum deficit by 2014, due to the proliferation of data intensive smartphones, tablets, applications, and services.

It is in everyone’s interest to resolve this issue quickly. A 2009 World Bank / IFC report found that economic growth increases 1.3 percent for every 10 percent increase in high-speed Internet connections. The Internet is the single best way to deliver public and private services to rural areas, the report noted.

The spectrum deficit hasn’t impacted the economy –yet. The good news is that this scarcity is self-imposed, and the government has several options at its disposal to resolve the issue before it does. Clearing spectrum bands and holding auctions to assign rights to frequencies is the customary approach, but regulators should shift to a fundamentally different approach and permit bandwidth sharing.

Clearing spectrum alone isn’t the solution

A 2010 Broadband Plan requires that 500 MHz of spectrum be cleared within the next decade. The goal was to encourage continued wireless innovation by making underutilized spectrum available for commercial use, but that initiative had the added benefit of surfacing problems that can occur without sharing.

A March 2012 report by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), part of the Department of Commerce, found that clearing the 1755MHz – 1855MHz band would cost $18 billion and cause significant disruption. It is now well understood that making additional spectrum available cannot be accomplished rapidly enough to meet the public’s demand for wireless broadband services. It can be disruptive, and it is not always feasible. Spectrum owners aren’t easy to move, due to the time and effort of evaluating the alternatives, and as a result it is further delaying progress.

Therefore, a cost benefit analysis is necessary to determine the feasibility of how and when bandwidth may be auctioned. Net revenue from an FCC auction failed to cover the cost and the auction process favors a range of application types. In contrast, making more spectrum available through sharing could benefit every stakeholder. There is no reason for continued delay.

Rethinking how bandwidth is used

The White House is advocating sharing as the most scalable long-term solution. A 2012 report by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) concluded that sharing spectrum is the most optimal way to meet demand. PCAST concluded that sharing should be a mainline approach to making more spectrum available, and asked that the Secretary of Commerce identify federal spectrum to implement pilot projects.

This way, spectrum can be used more efficiently across all bands. Sharing can be accomplished with current technology such as specialized cognitive radios that circumvent interference, and network operators can deploy an FCC approved database service that intelligently monitors frequencies to protect incumbents while assuring high quality of service.

These technologies work in unison to address potential operational issues when dealing with shared spectrum, make optimal use of spectrum, and permit new users to coexist on the same frequencies as incumbents. Some incumbents include broadcasters, emergency services, and even the U.S. military.

Network operators, service providers, and carriers can deploy equipment with the authorized spectrum available near a device’s geo-location. It is important to note that these databases are situation-aware spectrum sharing technologies; so vital government services and incumbent services are not competing for use of the spectrum. Performance and reliability trials in the United States and United Kingdom have demonstrated the value of solutions that prevent interference with other wireless users sharing the spectrum. In all cases, a database solution successfully enabled users sharing the spectrum to co-exist peacefully.

If these solutions were adopted new services and new products would be enabled, and would increase competition in the marketplace. There are significantly more unlicensed applications than licensed ones. Sharing can be beneficial to the incumbents by giving them access to new technologies, new services, and revenue from leasing frequencies they own. The economic potential is enormous, and is an opportunity to act now.

Today’s, geo-location database technology is part of the solution

The technology for sharing spectrum is ready, and the basic rules for unlicensed use across other bands exist in the TV White Space (TVWS) regulation. However, changes to laws would be required for Federal spectrum holders to lease their unused spectrum and retain the value that was paid to them for the use. Local, state, federal government, industry advocates, and the marketplace all have a role in setting the direction of spectrum policy.

The U.S. was the first to commercialize TV White Space in Wilmington, NC in January 2012.

TVWS trials are underway throughout the world (United Kingdom, Finland & Singapore), with other countries currently planning to or having expressed interest in moving forward with TVWS trials including Brazil, South Africa, and South Korea.

The expansiveness of these trials is demonstrating that bandwidth sharing does work, and if policy innovation doesn’t happen in the U.S., it will happen elsewhere.

The U.S. needs to take a leadership position to ensure it doesn’t fall behind the economic curve and become less competitive. That means regulators must change how bandwidth is used, encourage pro growth policies, and follow the recommendations outlined in the PCAST report.

*SBI 2012

Spectrum Bridge Launches TV White Space Certification Program to Help Radio Manufacturers Navigate FCC Approval Process

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:33:00 +0000

LAKE MARY, FL— Aug 29, 2012— Spectrum Bridge, Inc. today announced a new service to help wireless device manufacturers (OEMs) through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rigorous compliance process for TV White Space (TVWS) radios. These radios, along with TVWS database technologies will enable next generation high-speed wireless networks.

The Partner Certification Program grew out of the company’s success in working with radio manufacturers pursuing certification, its expertise in designing and developing radio technology, and its unique position as a recognized market leader.

FCC requirements for TVWS are much more involved than prior Part 15 rules about how radios are allowed to access spectrum, complicating the certification process. This is because a TVWS radio typically operates over a wide frequency range and must avoid interference with incumbent users of the spectrum, e.g. TV broadcasts or churches and schools that use wireless microphones. OEMs must also comply with TVWS database rules, and can avoid potential delays and cost overages by preparing for certification.

“Spectrum Bridge believes that the better prepared an OEM is to understand the rules, the less time they will spend in the certification process,” said Rod Dir, president and CEO. “This program is designed to provide the shortest path to certification. We have developed a comprehensive process based on our experience with partners and as a result of our own journey through FCC certification.”

The Spectrum Bridge Partner Certification Program provides the following FCC radio certification support services:

· TVWS compliance API: A complete reference design (SDK) to enable rapid development and compliance with FCC rules defining TV Band Device (TVBD) behavior. The reference design includes an embedded agent and a suite of web pages that can be used for device configuration and status.

· Test methods and certification procedures: Provides step-by-step procedures and test methods that can be used for testing and certification.

· FCC Part 15 certification support: Spectrum Bridge will facilitate and oversee testing of TVBDs by the Telecommunication Certification Body and subsequently by the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) to ensure an efficient and timely certification process.

· Pre-certification audit to ensure compliance with 47 CFR Part 15: Spectrum Bridge will identify and help TVBD OEMs resolve potential problems before the certification process even begins.

“The Partner Certification Program was invaluable to my team,” said Jordan Duval, CEO at MELD Technologies. “Working with Spectrum Bridge and leveraging their guidance in this process is bringing our radio technology to market faster.”

The database-driven approach allows TVWS devices to select an available channel. However, not all available channels will provide the same quality of service for the user. In order to avoid potential interference and select the best channel, the Spectrum Bridge TV White Space solution considers the interference from TV transmissions, in order to provide preferred channel rankings. Custom features can also be offered by enabling these value added services to provide product differentiation for the radio vendor.

“We appreciate the opportunity to work with the knowledgeable and experienced team at Spectrum Bridge,” said Jim Carlson, CEO at Carlson Wireless. “Their assistance and guidance has been a tremendous help through the certification process.”

Customers may enroll in the Partner Certification Program by calling Spectrum Bridge [866-598-7426] or visiting its website [Partner Sign Up].

About Spectrum Bridge, Inc.

Spectrum Bridge, Inc. (SBI) develops technology and intellectual property that virtualizes spectrum by giving wireless devices access to available bandwidth more efficiently. SBI’s spectrum sharing platform provides customers with greater network capacity, coverage and utilization through efficient allocation of spectrum resources. The company’s platform also enhances service providers and radio manufacturer’s solutions by utilizing a database-driven cognitive networking technology designed to promote co-existence. SBI was named a top innovator in the area of technology for its TV White Spaces network by the Andrew Seybold 2010 Choice Awards. The company is privately held and headquartered in Lake Mary, Florida. For more information, contact us at (866) 598-7426 or visit SpectrumBridge.com.

Press Contact:

Spectrum Bridge, Inc.

David Worthington

Fusion Public Relations

T: (212) 651-4219

E: david.worthington@fusionpr.com

Spectrum Bridge is a 2012 SPIFFY Award Nominee for the Most Disruptive Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:24:00 +0000

Spectrum Bridge is excited to be nominated for the Telecom Council of Silicon Valley 2012 SPIFFY Award in the “San Andreas Award for Most Disruptive Technology” category. The San Andreas Award recognizes startups with the most game-changing and disruptive technologies to the market, innovators who will change the way people do things.

These are the 5th Annual SPIFFY Awards given by the council's 25 global Service Providers which include leaders such as AT&T, British Telecom, DoCoMo, France Telecom/Orange, Swisscom, Verizon, Vodafone and many other fixed and wireless carriers from Europe, Asia, and North and South America.

Winners will be announced by members of the Council's Service Provider Forum in a public ceremony, on Sept. 12th, 2012 in Sunnyvale, CA.

Spectrum Bridge has developed software technology designed to address the spectrum scarcity issue facing the wireless industry today. This Authorized Shared Access (ASA) platform enables innovative, wireless solutions through improved spectrum availability, managed spectrum access and optimized spectrum allocation. This proprietary technology can best be described as the process of fulfilling spectrum requests in real-time (bandwidth, frequency, location and time) by optimizing quality of service and minimizing contention.

Learn more about Spectrum Bridge at www.SpectrumBridge.com

Spectrum Bridge leading a Spectrum Sharing debate at DySPAN 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 16:07:00 +0000

Check out Spectrum Bridge at IEEE DySPAN 2012 in Bellevue, WA on October 16-19th, 2012

October 16, 2012 Session between 1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Title: Spectrum Sharing using Geolocation Databases
Presenters: Peter Stanforth and Jeffrey Schmidt, Spectrum Bridge

Over the past few years there has been a significant investment in the concept of a database for managing the sharing of TV White Space, the unused portion of the UHF spectrum used for TV broadcast. The FCC has completed a rule making process and systems are now operational. The UK and Canada are in the process of finalizing rules for similar sharing schemes.

With the recent publication of the PCAST report on Spectrum Sharing the scope of geolocation databases has expanded significantly. This workshop will review the latest activities of geolocation databases in TV white space including technology, deployments, regulation and standards efforts. It will then offer a strategy to expand the geolocation database of TV White Space into other spectrum bands, focusing on the reuse of TV white Space technology and the new challenges. The tutorial will wrap up with a discussion on areas for further study and innovation.

Register to attend

The Power and Potential of the Unlicensed Economy (Video Recording)

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:37:00 +0000

Watch the recorded video presentation from the July 11th event - "The Power and Potential of the Unlicensed Economy"

Spectrum Bridge was proud to have Peter Stanforth, CTO, participate in the discussion topics.

This event brought together application developers, chip manufacturers, database developers, investors, academics and policymakers to discuss both the recent developments and future potential for the unlicensed spectrum ecosystem, including:

• Using Unlicensed Spectrum to Expand the Reach and Decrease the Cost of Broadband

• Unlicensed Spectrum as a Technology Innovation Platform

• Opportunities and Activity in the Global Marketplace

• And.....the First Unlicensed Technology Meet-Up

Co-Hosted by the Center for Internet and Society, Engine Advocacy and GigaOm

See agenda here

Learn more about Spectrum Bridge at www.SpectrumBridge.com

Latest Spectrum Bridge recognition - SPIFFY Award nominee

Listen to "The Power & Potential of the Unlicensed Economy" radio cast

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:46:00 +0000

Following Monday's broadcast that highlighted a real-world broadband application of TV white space technology, host Craig Settles conducts interviews at the conference "The Power and Potential of the Unlicensed Economy." This conference explored the role of unlicensed spectrum in our economy and the future of innovation in the U.S.

Cutting through marketing hype and tech jargon, interviews with Harold Feld, Sr. VP and Legal Director of the public advocacy group Public Knowledge and Edgar Figueroa, President and CEO of WiFi Alliance, help broadband stakeholders and supporters understand the value TV white spaces offer.

Listen to the radio cast now

Listeners will learn:

how white spaces and other unlicensed spectrum can make broadband cheaper and faster to deploy in some communities
why "Super WiFi" is not the best way to describe this technology
what kinds of applications to expect from networks built using unlicensed spectrum

Learn more about TV White Space at www.SpectrumBridge.com

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 13:30:00 +0000

White Space Broadband Initiative Gets a Kick Start at College Campuses

New Group Wants to Bring White-Space Broadband To Rural Colleges

A new partnership plans to bring wireless broadband to rural college communities over the unused spectrum between licensed television stations that are …

Related articles:
Super WiFi goes to college with new government effort

Groups plan Super WiFi network in rural college towns

Super Wi-Fi Gets Off the Ground

TV white space key to AIR.U rural ambitions
FierceBroadbandWireless
The payroll-tax extension bill signed into law in February included a provision allowing the FCC to continue allocating TV white space for unlicensed broadband use. However, it also set in motion plans for an incentive auction in which TV broadcasters ...

Spectrum Bridge Newsletter - June 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 18:07:00 +0000

Spectrum Bridge Newsletter - June 2012 (www.SpectrumBridge.com)

WHITE SPACE NEWS

Spectrum Bridge Partners With Carlson Wireless to Deliver Broadband to Rural ...

MarketWatch (press release) - 5 hours ago

Carlson's RuralConnect products are designed to address the specific needs of the WISP, by harnessing the non-line of sight (NLOS) capabilities of TV White Space frequency bands to deliver speeds comparable to traditional wireless networks (up to ...

Microsoft And Nokia Now Partners: Will They Step Into White Space...

Seeking Alpha - Jun 1, 2012

The technologies for the cognitive radios over TV white space are under ... A total of 701 cognitive radio over TV White Space related patents (158 issued ...

Developing a test regime for white space communications devices

New Electronics - Jun 11, 2012

The digital switchover is making a range of spectrum available that is being vacated by analogue tv transmissions. Now industry is looking to exploit the …Neul developments

NAB Spectrum Concerns Go Beyond Borders

Broadcasting & Cable - 1 hour ago

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/11/2012 12:01:00 AM IF MORE THAN ONE-FIFTH of all full-power TV stations are crying, “Oh, Canada,” it's for good reason: That many stations are being affected by unresolved spectrum coordination issues up ...

xG Technology, Inc. Continues Record Of Cognitive RadioInnovation With Six ...

MarketWatch (press release) - 40 minutes ago

The awarded patents cover a wide range of technologies including spectrum sharing, media access control (MAC), mobile VoIP signaling and interference detection/mitigation.

Shared Spectrum Company Awarded American Technology Award

MarketWatch (press release) - Jun 14, 2012

MCLEAN, Va., Jun 14, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Shared Spectrum Company (SSC), the leading innovator of dynamic spectrum access and cognitive radio ...

Shared Spectrum Company Awarded Additional Patents forSpectrum Sharing Technology

MarketWatch (press release) - 3 hours ago

VIENNA, Va., Jun 11, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Shared Spectrum Company (SSC), the leading innovator of Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) and spectrum sharing technology, has recently been awarded two new additional patents from the US Patent and Trademark ...

Preparations underway for coming of Broadband Intgernet

Clay-Times Journal - Jun 1, 2012

TV White Spaces does a much better job of coverage in terrain and pine trees but it is more expensive. It's frequency range is 420 to 700 gigaheertz which will ...

'Adaptive Radio': The Next Big Thing in Wireless?

The technology that makes adaptive radio systems work comes mostly from startups. Spectrum Bridge manages a database of radio frequencies; adaptive radios check it to know which ones to avoid. Neul, 6harmonics, and Adaptrum all make various pieces of the radios or antennae.

White Space Broadband: Hope for Rural America? A New Alternative Finally ...

Dslreports - 7 minutes ago

White Space broadband came about after the switch to digital television from analog opened up new frequencies to use for other things.

Adaptive radio may upend wireless spectrum system

San Francisco Chronicle - May 19, 2012

Carriers must spend billions to license chunks of spectrum to make sure their subscribers can connect wherever they go. A radio from Neul - or one of several startups working on similar technology - upends this whole system.

Is white space the next frontier for mobile operators?

FierceWireless - May 19, 2012

Much has been promised from the potential of utilising white space spectrum, which is basically unused gaps between TV broadcast channels.

SPECTRUM POLICY & NEWS

Genachowski to Focus On Broadband In Senate Testimony

Broadcasting & Cable - May 15, 2012

... refer to TV, but only to make the point that the FCC has already freed up some broadcast spectrum for unlicensed devices in the so called TV "white spaces." ...

Randall Stephenson: Spectrum and the Wireless Revolution

Wall Street Journal - 15 hours ago

But it equally depends on an unseen scarce resource: the radio waves, orspectrum, that transmit mobile data. The demand for mobile data is now roughly doubling every year.

US and Mexico ink agreements on spectrum sharing in 800MHz/1900MHz bands

TeleGeography - 2 hours ago

Spectrum sharing agreements have reportedly been reached between the US telecoms regulator, the Federal Communications Committee (FCC), and Mexican telecoms officials regarding frequencies in the 800MHz and 1900MHz bands.

Europe crams ultra-fast 4G into tight spectrum crack

By Bill Ray • Get more from this author Euro telecoms regulator CEPT has released 120MHz of shiny new radio spectrum for "ultra-fast mobile broadband", which would be more impressive if the bands weren't full of reasonably fast data already.

Verizon Rebuts Spectrum Warehousing Claims

Wireless Week - 1 hour ago

Verizon Wireless continues its effort to convince the FCC to approve its $3.9 billion purchase of AWSspectrum as the clock ticks down on the deal.

Steering Clear of the Perfect Spectrum Storm

TechNewsWorld - Jun 14, 2012

We all followed AT&T's attempt to acquire T-Mobile last year. That should have been our wake-up call to a growing industry problem: spectrum shortage.

Broadcasters Need FCC Repacking Info: Study

Multichannel News - 24 minutes ago

Former FCC chief economist Thomas Hazlett and the National Association of Broadcasters have been on opposite sides of the spectrum reclamation debate, but …

VERTICAL INDUSTRY NEWS

Numerex and Transatel collaborate on M2M solution deployment in ...

MarketWatch (press release) - Jun 13, 2012

Numerex Corp (NASDAQ:NMRX) is a leading provider of machine-to-machine (M2M) business services, technology, and products used in the development and …

Verizon to Acquire Hughes Telematics, Inc.

MarketWatch (press release) - Jun 1, 2012

... and fleet telematics marketplace and accelerate growth in key vertical segments, including emerging machine-to-machine (M2M) services applications driven …

ERF Wireless Rolls Out Next Generation Product Suite to the Oil and ...

MarketWatch (press release) - Jun 14, 2012

"We lease these products to our oil and gas customers on a day rate just like we do ... if they are not under the Energy Broadband terrestrial wireless coverage.

Ambient: 100000 Smart Grid Nodes, One Customer

Greentech Media - Jun 14, 2012

Ambient builds business with key customer Duke Energy, but will it be able to expand to keep up growth?

Making the case for an Internet-enabled smart grid

Fierce Smart Grid - Jun 13, 2012

It is clearly time for a quantum leap to a more robust and much smarter grid. But the smart grid we are envisioning will increase grid complexity by at least an ...

Spectrum Bridge Partners With Carlson Wireless to Deliver Broadband to Rural America Over TV White Space

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:37:00 +0000

LAKE MARY, FL and ARCATA, CA, Jun 12, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Spectrum Bridge, Inc. today announced a partnership with Carlson Wireless to expand adoption of TV White Spaces, in order to meet the growing demand for broadband coverage across rural America.

Spectrum Bridge and Carlson are working together to provide wireless Internet service providers (WISPs) with the solutions and services necessary to reach "last mile" customers in areas that are geographically unsuitable for deploying fixed or fiber-based broadband services. Carlson's RuralConnect products are designed to address the specific needs of the WISP, by harnessing the non-line of sight (NLOS) capabilities of TV White Space frequency bands to deliver speeds comparable to traditional wireless networks (up to 16Mbps in the current generation). Spectrum Bridge will provide guidance to Carlson during the FCC-certification process for RuralConnect and future products and services. In addition, Carlson will be distributing a new solution developed by Spectrum Bridge to give network operators unrivaled spectrum management capabilities.

Over the last year, Carlson has deployed this breakthrough technology in the most rugged parts of the U.S., bringing connectivity to remote communities, schools and public safety entities and implementing immediate improvements in the quality of life for residents.

"Many parts of the country and the world lack high-speed broadband access, due to the physical limitations of traditional wireless network technology," said Rod Dir, CEO of Spectrum Bridge. "Carlson has been one of the staunchest advocates for rural broadband deployment in the U.S., and we are proud to partner with them as they pave the way in delivering solutions to this underserved market with TV White Spaces."

The unique propagation of this new frequency spectrum allows NLOS wireless communication and wide geographical coverage, even in remote or rugged terrain. Businesses and agencies will benefit greatly from this new digital infrastructure for mission critical communications, asset tracking, telemetry, traffic control, and smart grid monitoring. Additionally, this technology is the first to use Dynamic Spectrum Sharing, simultaneously overcoming the existing scarcity of spectrum and other pervasive limitations of legacy wireless communication systems.

The FCC and the federal government have recognized that the availability of broadband is a vital component of global competition. The National Broadband Plan was established with the goal of increasing the affordability of and access to broadband Internet and mobile services. Spectrum Bridge is dedicated to working with partners like Carlson to create innovative technology capable of managing and harnessing TV White Space and other wireless frequencies worldwide.

"Spectrum Bridge has been at the forefront of fostering the development of TV White Space technologies," said Jim Carlson, CEO of Carlson. "This strategic partnership fills an acute market need by supplying performance-proven equipment to service providers so that they can deliver affordable TVWS broadband to underserved residential customers, businesses and communities."

About Spectrum Bridge, Inc. Spectrum Bridge, Inc. (SBI) develops technology and intellectual property that virtualizes spectrum by giving wireless devices access to available bandwidth more efficiently. SBI's spectrum sharing platform provides customers with greater network capacity, coverage and utilization through efficient allocation of spectrum resources. The company's platform also enhances service providers and radio manufacturer's solutions by utilizing a database-driven cognitive networking technology designed to promote co-existence. SBI was named a top innovator in the area of technology for its TV White Spaces network by the Andrew Seybold 2010 Choice Awards. The company is privately held and headquartered in Lake Mary, Florida. For more information, contact us at (866) 598-7426 or visit SpectrumBridge.com.

About Carlson For more than a decade, Carlson has led the way in engineering high-speed wireless communications solutions for a broad spectrum of applications using RF technology to deliver full voice and data connections no matter how rugged the terrain. Today, Carlson is considered a pioneer of the revolutionary new TV White Space broadband technology. More than 20 million customers in nearly 200 communities worldwide rely on Carlson radios for their public safety communications and broadband needs. Carlson serves customers in the telecommunications, public safety, military, and energy industries. For more information, contact us at (707) 822-7000 or visit www.CarlsonWireless.com

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=D0DAAA8F051073E7

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Press Contact

Spectrum Bridge, Inc.

George Morin

Fusion Public Relations

T: (212) 651-4219

E: Email Contact

Carlson

Kim Miyade

The Ad Co & PR Partners

T. (310) 287-2222

E. Email Contact

Presidential Panel Recommends More Flexible Use of Spectrum

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 13:13:00 +0000

According to this article, it will be officially presented to the President in June.

Presidential Panel Urges More Flexible Use of Spectrum

The authors of the report included Eric E. Schmidt, the chairman of Google, Craig Mundie, Microsoft’s chief research and strategy officer and Silicon Valley venture capitalists Mark P. Gorenberg and David E. Liddle, among others.

"In response to questions after his presentation, Mr. Gorenberg said that foreign competitors were already aware of the potential economic value of the new radio technologies and that the United States was in a contest to develop systems quickly.

"I think this is a worldwide race," he said. "There are people looking at this everywhere. This is something that is very important to the U.S. to lead here to have our vendors out front so they can export their products overseas."

He warned that if the United States failed competitively, the nation would likely see a repeat of the situation in the early 1990s when advanced digital cellular standards were created first in Europe."

PCAST on Spectrum Sharing

How Spectrum Sharing would Work

Latest ecosystem news coming out from Spectrum Bridge and it's Partner...

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:34:00 +0000

Spectrum Bridge, Inc. today announced a partnership with Neul to expand the global deployment of TV White Spaces (TVWS) networks for machine-to-machine (M2M) communications.

Spectrum Bridge and Neul are working together to expand the white space ecosystem by enabling innovative partners around the world to develop M2M applications running on Weightless, the first open network standard developed for TVWS communications. The partnership will expand Neul's spectrum management expertise and exposure to the U.S. market and Spectrum Bridge will gain access to developing the global M2M segment. Both companies will be working together to achieve FCC certification of Neul's innovative products. Neul's radio technology together with the Spectrum Bridge platform enables the efficient use of TVWS to create networks for broadband delivery and M2M communications.

See the full press release

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:59:00 +0000

Spectrum Bridge introduces Call Sign Monitoring Service...

Call Sign Monitoring

TV Band spectrum holders can now monitor their Call Signs for registration activity.

Broadcasters
Public Safety “T-band” network operators
Incumbent TV spectrum users
Wireless Microphone & low power auxiliary station users

Our service notifies spectrum holders whenever users register for protection using Call Signs that belong to you. This service helps detect Call Sign use by non-authorized users.

Easy Call Sign setup & registration
Continuous monitoring for use of your Call Signs
Real-time alert notification when your Call Sign is used
Receive alerts when someone else is trying to use your Call Signs

Broadcasters and primary TV band users are encouraged to register for protection of Call Signs through our web site. Our solution uses proprietary spectrum management technology and protected entity registration data from all White Space database administrators.

Register NOW to protect your Spectrum

Visit us at www.SpectrumBridge.com

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:44:00 +0000

Recent Industry News & Developments

FCC Updates White Space Device Rules
TV Technology
The FCC released the Third Memorandum Opinion and Order (FCC 12-36) regarding use of unlicensed "white space" devices in the TV broadcast bands.

How white space brought broadband to a remote Scottish Isle
PC Pro (blog) - Apr 11, 2012
BT has been for several months running a technical trial of white spacebroadband on the Isle of Bute, west of Glasgow. Ten farmers have been given connections this way, with a mast at Kilchattan Bay spitting out spectrum to five farms to the northeast …

Cambridge stages white space summit
Business Weekly - Apr 11, 2012
TTP Group's head of wireless, Richard Walker, will talk about the need to serve rural communities with white space capability while Nick Welsh, information assurance & technical adviser to the UK Cabinet Office, will address the implications for Ad hoc ...

Broadcast TV Channel Sharing Moves Forward
TV Technology
The FCC will take another step in preparation for the incentive auction of UHF TV spectrum recently allowed by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012.

Spectrum Question Colors Broadcasters Convention
National Journal
Congress was still weighing proposals that some broadcasters worried could force them to give up their lifeblood: spectrum.

More Spectrum, Better Health
Daily Yonder
That's why the FCC needs to open up new spectrum now. By Alan Morgan Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer for the National Rural Health Association.

Let's work together to keep 'spectrum highway' humming
Great Falls Tribune
Something called "spectrum" is the highway that allows mobile voice and data traffic to move. As more and more people adopt smartphones and tablets that are data-hungry—downloading movies, games and apps, the lanes of the spectrum highway get more and ...

White House Needs to Shake Loose Underutilized Government Spectrum
Huffington Post - Apr 12, 2012
That plan included the essential objective of identifying 500 MHZ of additional mobile spectrumcapacity to support exponential growth in the wireless web.

New TV white-space rules provide more flexibility in rural areas
FierceBroadbandWireless - Apr 8, 2012
Wireless Internet service providers hoping to ply their trade in TV white space are cheering three significant FCC rule changes that will make it easier to use the spectrum to deliver broadband service in remote and rural locations, particularly those …

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:49:00 +0000

Here is a very interesting and objective viewpoint for the use of unlicensed spectrum for the shared use of public airwaves from a Mark Cooper paper written in January 2012...

Below is the link to the Mark Cooper paper: Efficiency gains and consumer benefits of unlicensed access to the public airwaves.

http://www.markcooperresearch.com/SharedSpectrumAnalysis.pdf

Get Ready for the Next Evolution beyond WiFi…

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:37:00 +0000

Get Ready for the Next Evolution beyond WiFi…

With the most recent regulatory and industry developments in TV White Space, it is the dawn of a new generation of innovative wireless products and services. Spectrum Bridge has received approval from the FCC to operate the TV white space platform which will begin providing service to devices beginning in Wilmington, NC on January 26, 2012.

With the likes of Google and Microsoft advocating the use of white space, the marketplace will soon be filled with millions of devices looking to capitalize on the wireless enhancements this technology enables.

In a recent article with Business Insider, Microsoft’s Dan Reed, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Technology Policy Group said, "If you look at the economic returns that have been accrued by WiFi, it's a multi-billion economic impact. We absolutely believe this has the same potential, given the explosive demand for wireless communications -- perhaps even larger,"

We couldn’t agree more.

Spectrum Bridge is excited about the next evolution beyond WiFi and the major impact it will have on the wireless industry from a global perspective. For more information on TV white spaces, click here.

Link to the referenced article...
FCC press release

-Long Hoang, Product Marketing

Spectrum Bridge Submits Report from Public Trial

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:32:00 +0000

The FCC TV white spaces database public trial period has come to an end. The 45 day trial started on September 19th and was successfully completed on November 2nd. Spectrum Bridge formally filed a Summary Report of the TVWS database trial which can be found here on the FCC’s electronic filing system.

We are now one step closer to the official certification of the world’s first TV white spaces database solution. The FCC and OET have done an outstanding job throughout the process of moving the concept into a real-time working solution. The FCC will now open the floor for the comment period, which allows all interested parties to submit any final comments.

As a result of the completion of the 45 day trial, we have respectfully requested that the FCC certify the database solution. We believe that this technology has the potential to revolutionize the wireless industry as it can be implemented in additional spectrum bands to help alleviate the spectrum scarcity issues currently facing the wireless industry. We look forward to seeing your comments about the trial and implementing a live solution to wireless users in the very near future!

-Andrew Pielack, Communications Coordinator

Spectrum Bridge Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:00:00 +0000

When I began working in the wireless industry during the fall of 1989, few could have predicted its unprecedented growth, or how much our daily lives would be transformed by the rise of smartphones, tablets and mobile applications. As a result of innovation, the increasing demand for wireless spectrum will soon exceed availability. Unless significant changes are made to address this, the growth of wireless services could be limited due to a lack of available spectrum (we are experiencing the early effects now, as some carriers have instituted data caps to conserve capacity).

It was this perfect storm that drew me to Spectrum Bridge, a company that’s on the leading edge of developing spectrum optimization technology that will help address this looming crisis and accelerate the innovation of new wireless services. It’s a great honor and opportunity for me to partner with Spectrum Bridge co-founders Richard Licursi and Peter Stanforth, as they share a passion for innovation and have proven track records in building successful companies.

My primary focus as the new CEO of Spectrum Bridge will be to establish the long term vision for the company, transitioning the organization beyond the developmental stage to become a full service provider for connected wireless devices. I will be working closely with Peter to do so, as he continues to successfully drive the company’s technology strategy while managing our core IP portfolio. Richard has elected to move to the position of Executive Board Chairman, where he will continue to leverage his influence with industry leaders and legislators to help the company navigate today’s telecom market and regulatory environment.

The strength of the company’s core IP and the virtualization of our scalable architecture provides us with a unique opportunity to help the industry unlock the full potential of underutilized spectrum. Our objective is to meet these rapidly growing demands for bandwidth, and through the Spectrum Bridge solution, better manage shared spectrum and coexistence of the world’s mobile devices. We remain strongly committed to the following goals: maintaining our leadership position, improving spectrum utilization worldwide, and making unlimited connectivity to tomorrow’s wireless services a reality.

Our first step towards that realization is the development of an unlicensed TV White Spaces solution to enable fixed devices for rural broadband service, smart city and smart utility grid services. Earlier in the year, we were one of ten companies chosen by the FCC to develop and administer such a solution, and are the first to have a system pre-certified and involved in a limited public trial (you can find the public notice here). We have also collected a wealth of data and information from each of the market trials conducted over the past two years, and will incorporate what we’ve learned into our future service platform.

These are exciting times at Spectrum Bridge, and we look forward to updating you as we have new developments to report.

-Rod Dir, President & CEO

Microsoft Joins the TV White Space Race

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:48:00 +0000

The Federal Communications Commission has just conditionally designated Microsoft Corporation as a TV bands database administrator. The Order states that “Microsoft is the tenth entity designated to develop a database that will enable the introduction of this new class of unlicensed broadband wireless devices in the TV spectrum.” The announcement comes as a surprise to some industry stakeholders and excitement to others. We at Spectrum Bridge welcome Microsoft to help further solidify the use of unlicensed spectrum to spur new innovation and technologies.

In addition to Microsoft becoming a database administrator, the IEEE, an association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity, has recently completed the 802.22™ standard for wireless regional area networks in TV white spaces. According to the press release, “IEEE 802.22 systems will provide broadband access to wide regional areas around the world and bring reliable and secure high-speed communications to under-served and un-served communities.”

The completion of TV white space standards and the addition of a tenth database administrator strongly indicate that the FCC is fully committed to enhancing the unlicensed wireless industry and ecosystem moving forward. The database administrators are not only tasked with ensuring protection to incumbent users, but spurring innovation where database technology did not previously exist. As referenced in many industry white papers, 90-95 percent of spectrum sites idle at any given time. If this database approach model is adopted in additional frequency bands, it may very well help alleviate some of the current spectrum crisis issues at hand.

All of the database administrators are anxiously awaiting the completion of the certification process and trial period that ensues. Once the certification process is completed, commercial products will then be made available to support many of the unserved and underserved communities in America with rural broadband and other applications. There are endless possibilities beyond the TV white spaces and Spectrum Bridge is very excited for the future of database managed wireless technology. For a preview of future technology to come, see the examples of use cases developed by our Universal Spectrum Access technology model.

- Andrew Pielack, Communications Coordinator

Viable Alternatives to Current Methods by Promoting the Secondary Spectrum Market

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:09:00 +0000

The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) recently issued a letter strongly opposing aspects of a draft bill entitled “Spectrum Innovation Act of 2011.” The open letter to the government cites that “aspects of the draft would threaten the continued development of affordable fixed broadband services to Americans living in rural, unserved and underserved areas of the country.” The WISPA organization has a point and raises some very significant issues, but we should not ignore the spectrum policy and innovations that the industry has been building upon over the past decade, specifically the secondary spectrum market.

Spectrum Bridge firmly believes that there are viable alternatives to current spectrum allocation methods if industry continues to promote secondary markets. In an earlier blog post, Spectrum Bridge mentioned that the secondary spectrum market was created by the FCC to enable “spectrum to flow more freely among users and uses in response to economic demand.” The demand for spectrum continues to increase on a daily basis, but there are alternatives to utilizing unused bandwidth in the U.S. as opposed to drafting and passing bills dedicated to current Spectrum Auction processes. The auction process is, realistically, only available to a small subset of spectrum users and only executed by the FCC when large swathes of spectrum are available. So in addition to limiting bidders much spectrum sits in inventory in the hope that there will eventually be enough to justify an auction. Secondary markets are the only option for many spectrum users and they can also be an outlet for the FCC to permit use of spectrum sitting idle in inventory.

Thanks to the FCC efforts and continued innovation in technology, industry is now able to stand on its own to help allocate unused frequencies on an as needed basis. Major industry players are beginning to take a larger role in how spectrum is allocated and managed. For example, Qualcomm and Nokia have recently proposed the concept of Authorized Shared Access which allows spectrum sharing via cognitive network technologies which are aimed at benefiting consumers and helping to sustain economic growth.

With the whole notion of viable alternatives to current methods, the government will not necessarily need to be in the involved, industry is more than capable of managing spectrum and allocating it to meet demand. Spectrum management solutions and secondary markets will see an increase in value over time as the ever increasing spectrum scarcity continues to burden policy makers in the near term. The increasing role of industry giants only emphasizes the desire for alternatives to current methods such as shared access and secondary markets.

- Peter Stanforth, CTO

Clearing the Air in TV White Space

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:19:00 +0000

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) along with the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) released an order in January of this year to allow nine companies to conditionally serve as the TV Bands Device administrators for the idle TV spectrum known as “TV white spaces.” In doing so, the database administrators and device manufacturers need to collectively work together to certify a solution that should soon be available to consumers by year’s end. There have been numerous trials helping to establish the unlicensed spectrum as a viable means to provide broadband availability and additional applications at a greater capacity throughout the U.S.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has been a major advocate of the unlicensed spectrum bands, even labeling the TV white spaces as “Super Wi-Fi’ due to the superior benefits compared to other unlicensed spectrum such as Wi-Fi. He has stated that this is the largest release of unlicensed spectrum in 25 years and could expand high-speed internet across the country.

Recent speculation hints that Congress would prefer to repurpose spectrum for mobile broadband and the remainder to be auctioned off with the expectations of generating billions of dollars. This would leave little room for wireless technology and innovation to expand throughout the industry.

Mr. Genachowski spoke last week at the TV White Spaces Summit in Washington, D.C. and addressed some of the concerns within the industry by saying, “after incentive auctions and repacking - there is strong bi-partisan support for unlicensed spectrum, 40% of iPhone traffic is Wi-Fi, and 90% of iPad traffic is Wi-Fi. Bandwidth over Wi-Fi will exceed wired in 2015 which justifies the strong support for unlicensed and very confident that it will stay that way.”

Spectrum Bridge strongly believes that the TV white spaces are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to spectrum access and allocation not only on an unlicensed basis, but licensed as well. TV white spaces have been esteemed as one of the FCC’s highest priorities and will continue to revolutionize the wireless industry much in the same way Wi-Fi did 25 years ago. Chairman Genachowski concluded his Q&A by saying, “It is important for the country that this is a success.”

- Chris Duffus, CFO

TV White Spaces Momentum Continues…

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:46:00 +0000

Last year at this time, Spectrum Bridge was working diligently with industry stakeholders to help further the development and progress of the TV White Spaces by sponsoring the first ever TV White Spaces Summit hosted by the Wireless Innovation Forum. The event was very successful with the help of a keynote speech by the Honorable Meredith Attwell Baker, Federal Communications Commissioner for the Federal Communications Commission.

The industry has taken significant strides since then with the completion of the rules by the FCC in September 2010 and the announcement of the conditional TV White Spaces Database Administrators. The FCC has been conducting workshops to expedite the process of certifying the databases and radios.

This year, Spectrum Bridge looks to help continue the momentum by sponsoring the White Space Communications Summit: Driving Growth Through White Space Initiatives hosted by the Wireless Innovation Forum on June 7, 2011 in Washington, D.C. This year’s event features introductory remarks by the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission, Julius Genachowski.

The Wireless Innovation Forum intends to build on last year’s event by adding some of the major players in the industry with the likes of the FCC Chairman and representatives from various stakeholders and the nine conditional database administrators. For more information or to register for the Summit, please click here.

- Peter Stanforth, CTO

Spectrum Bridge announces uAccess™ and TV White Spaces Partner Program at CTIA Wireless 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 13:49:00 +0000

Spectrum Bridge, Inc. is excited to announce a new app on the Android market called uAccess™ at the International CTIA Wireless 2011 conference in Orlando, FL. uAccess is an intelligent connection manager that finds available hot spots and automatically switches between 3G/4G and Wi-Fi connections. In addition to seamlessly switching your connection hands-free, the power-saving technology extends battery life of devices and provides maps to the nearest hot spots.

The uAccess benefits also extend beyond the device user to enterprise solutions by allowing IT managers the ability to control and manage user access in a corporate environment. Enterprise users can move between corporate and public networks without having to reconfigure devices while providing secure and reliable connectivity.

Spectrum Bridge is also pleased to announce the TV White Spaces Partnership Program which gives mobile device manufacturers, VARs and systems integrators the opportunity to accelerate the development of their TV White Spaces solutions. The program provides members with access to the Spectrum Bridge’s industry leading TV White Spaces technology, as well as technical and sales support.

For more information on uAccess and the underlying technology, please visit uAccess.SpectrumBridge.com. For additional information on Spectrum Bridge’s TV White Spaces Partner Program, please click here.

-Andrew Pielack, Communications Coordinator

Announcing Spectrum Bridge's Wireless Microphone Frequency Finder App

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:48:00 +0000

Today, Spectrum Bridge announced the release of our Wireless Microphone Frequency Locator app, available in the iPhone app store. This app allows users to quickly locate exclusively reserved and available TV band frequencies for unlicensed wireless microphone use anywhere in the country.

The FCC’s recently adopted rules accommodating the unlicensed operation of wireless microphones in the TV bands recognizes the importance of interference free transmission in venues across the country for performances, events and entertainment. The Wireless Microphone Frequency Locator app mitigates potential interference between wireless microphones and television bands devices in operation by identifying available TV channels for use by microphones based on a user’s location.

In order to accommodate the unlicensed part 15 wireless microphones operating in the newly released TV White Spaces bands, the FCC designated two unoccupied TV channels in all areas of the country specifically for wireless microphone use. In addition to these two channels, the app also identifies channels that will not be used by TV bands devices according to the white spaces rules, and are available for use by unlicensed wireless microphones. Due to the fact that available TV channels vary by location and are subject to change, this app provides users with up-to-date wireless microphone frequency availability for any U.S. location.

To learn more about wireless microphone use in TV White Spaces bands, visit our website here, or to search for available white spaces in your area, visit www.showmywhitespace.com.

Super WiFi Summit - Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:15:00 +0000

Last week, Spectrum Bridge had the opportunity to attend and present at the Super WiFi Summit in Miami, and hear from many of the major players in the white spaces arena. We were impressed with the dynamic industry speakers who spoke on the regulatory timetable for white space, as well as future applications utilizing database driven technology.

Many of the speakers touched on next steps for white spaces – beginning with the nine database service providers, including Spectrum Bridge, meeting in an FCC-organized workshop on March 10th to discuss database operation, consistency, compliance and to schedule public trials for the database. Other key points from the panelists included the future application of database driven technology in other bands of spectrum to help open up additional bandwidth, as well as expanding the opportunity in white spaces globally.

One concern raised by the audience was the possibility of TV white spaces spectrum becoming reallocated. Although it is too soon to tell what will happen, as Google’s FCC representative, Rick Whitt put it, “the sooner we can prove the technology, the sooner we can prove the value of white spaces.” Spectrum Bridge has been at the forefront of this new technology, proving the value of white spaces in different applications through multiple trial networks. We are looking forward to continuing the momentum in white spaces through commercial network deployments later on this year. Stay tuned to Spectrum Bridge news by subscribing to our newsletter or checking out our Facebook and Twitter pages!

- Allison Ng, Product Marketing Associate

Spectrum Bridge Selected as TV Bands Device Database Administrator

noreply@blogger.com (Spectrum Experts) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:01:00 +0000

Yesterday, an order was released by the Federal Communications Commission and the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) conditionally appointing Spectrum Bridge as a TV White Spaces Database Administrator. This follows the FCC’s unanimous approval of the white spaces rules from September 23rd, allowing for the use of unused TV spectrum by new broadband networks and devices.

We would like to extend our thanks to the FCC and the OET for their decision to appoint Spectrum Bridge as one of the TV White Spaces Database Service Providers. This decision is a critical step in the white spaces proceeding, paving the way for great innovation in technology, and will help to realize the potential of unlicensed spectrum and spectrum databases as solutions for alleviating the spectrum shortage. As Chairman Genachowski said in his speech at the Consumer Electronics show in January, “the future success of this wide-ranging industry and others depends on whether our government acts quickly to unleash more spectrum -- the oxygen that sustains our mobile devices.”

TV White Spaces are positioned to play a major role in the future of wireless technology, and we, along with other major industry players, will continue to develop and demonstrate technological innovations in this space. Our four trial networks, showcasing a multitude of applications, are a testament to our success in TV White Spaces, and we are looking forward to bringing this success to a commercial level.

We have also released an updated version of our TV White spaces search tool, ShowMyWhiteSpace, in accordance with the FCC’s updated white spaces rules. The updated version includes enhancements to the interactive TV White Space Map and channel query interface, accessible via our website. Visit our website to learn more about our database, or partnering with Spectrum Bridge.

- Neeraj Srivastava, VP of Marketing & Business Development