1. Bringing Broadband to Indian Country
4.22.09
Bhavin Parekh
Julie Penner
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
2. Overview
• Broadband Connectivity in Indian Country
• Extending the Use of the 3650 MHz Band
• Increasing Power Limits in Unlicensed Spectrum
• Summary
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
3. Broadband in Indian Country: Fort Belknap
• In 2007, the population was 1,184 & 96.8% American Indian
• Billings, MT (pop. 50K+) is 186 miles away
• Unemployment Rate is 26%
• Telephone Penetration Rate of 89.3% (2000)
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
4. Extending the 3650 MHz Band
3650 3675 3700
Restricted Unrestricted
3650 3675 3700
Restricted Unrestricted
Now
Proposal
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
5. Extending the 3650 MHz Band
• Proposal
• Grant case-by-case exemptions to operate restricted
contention-based protocol devices in the entire 50MHz
between 3650 & 3700.
• Requirements
• Located in or serving rural communities
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
6. Extending the 3650 MHz Band
Benefits Concerns
• Allows tribal communities
access to additional spectrum
using existing devices
• Low risk of interference in rural
areas
• Spectrum is available now
• Can go limit restricted devices
to 25MHz again when
unrestricted devices are
available & cost effective
• Could decrease incentives to
develop unrestricted technology
• Tribal communities could
become dependent on the full
50MHz of spectrum
• High Switching Costs when
unrestricted devices are
available
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
8. Increasing Power Limits in Unlicensed Spectrum
• Proposal
• Allow increased power limits on unlicensed spectrum in
rural areas, 10W for 2.4GHz and 4-35W for 5.xGHz
• Requirements
• Database registration
• Burden to resolve interference issues
• Contention-based protocol
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
9. Increasing Power Limits in Unlicensed Spectrum
Benefits Concerns
• Improved range for services
• Increase in number of
customers
• Reduced number of repeaters
• Efficient use of spectrum
• Lower risk of interference in
rural areas
• Licensed users worried about
Interference
• Unlicensed users worried about
interference: “Tragedy of the
Commons”
• Devices not yet available
• Interference outside of
boundaries
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
