Communications

Ofcom goes nuts - will they regulate visible light next?

Ofcom, the UK regulator, has deigned to allow UK citizens license-exempt use of the 275-3000 GHz band.  These are freqencies have historically been lumped in with Infrared.  Of course, these are temporary regulations while they await an international decision at the World Radio Conference in 2011 (WRC-2011).  So it's not just Ofcom that troubles me, but spectrum regulator's in general.  Best bets are, after 2011, everyone will be regulating 275-3000 GHz, but why jump the gun?  As for light, there will also be a discussion at WRC-2011 about regulating "free-space optical" communication.  At least the US is on record as opposed to regulating free-space optical links.

Over the decades, government regulators have gradually expanded the range of frequencies they consider to be the radio spectrum subject to their regulation.  But until recently the highest frequency that anyone considered "radio" has been 300 GHz.  See for example this excerpt from a US Department of Commerce chart in 2003 (full chart here).

Very little use has been made of any spectrum above 60 GHz although there are commercial products in development in various bands between 60 GHz and 100 GHz.  The problem is, at higher and higher frequencies, absorption due to oxygen molecules and water vapor increases until you reach a "window" that we know as the visible light portion of the spectrum.  Since the atmosphere contains oxygen, not to mention water vapor (yes, even in desert areas), transmissions above 300 GHz are severely attenuated.

So whatever happened to the principal that you leave things unregulated until and unless it becomes clear that regulation is required?

WiMAX to be a fringe technology by 2015

Recently I was interviewed by the folks at TMC because I'm giving two presentations, “Mobile Broadband – New Applications and New Business Models” and “Our G-enealogy” at the upcoming 4G Wireless Evolution conference in Los Angeles September 1st-3rd.  The first talk's subject should be clear. The second talk, "Our G-enealogy," is a high level version of my 3G-4G wireless tutorial.

In any event, they asked a bunch of questions, including my thoughts on WiMAX and I answered.  For all the Q&A see the interview, here.

Apple sets itself up to fail ― again

Yesterday, Apple blocked Palm Pre smart phones from accessing iTunes.  The Pre smart phone has been able to access Apple's on-line music store since it went on sale in early June, but apparently Palm didn't have a formal deal with Apple.  This is bad for Palm, and for Pre users, but it's also bad for Apple.  Apple is holding onto their integrated solution just when the market is about split into segments, and explode!

But of course this is not the first time Apple has been in a leadership position and lost it. 

In 1980, Apple controlled 50% of the emerging PC market and had dominate mind share.  Over the next 15 years they became a niche player, not because IBM entered the market, but because they clung to an integrated solution while the exploding market split into segments (chips, PC chassis, peripherals, operating systems, applications and more) with different players in each segment.

Today, Apple has dominate mind share and significant market share in on-line music with iTunes and the iPod devices, and in smart phones with the iPhone and the iPhone application store.  Apple has captured the hearts and minds of people around the globe and gotten real money from at least tens of millions of wallets.  A big reason for their success has been Apple's complete integrated solution that provides a seamless experience.  There is no doubt the iPhone is the best device for mobile Internet access and, in part, that's because Apple controls everything about the user interface (even while opening application programming to hundreds of thousands of 3rd parties).

But the market is just beginning.  Our mobile devices are where PCs were in 1980.  As this market explodes, it's going to break into segments, with specialists in each segment.  Already, a  half-dozen application stores have been announced, each hoping to trump the iPhone application store. MP3 players abound, particularly in Asia.  Indeed, most youth in Asia do not have smart phones (iPhone or otherwise) and their music players do not come from Apple.

Apple could leverage their leadership in iTunes, iPods and the iPhone to define the future market segments and dominate at least one segment.  Indeed, with internal functional separation (separate profit and loss units), they might aspire to dominate two or three segments.  But if they stick to the integrated solution which won them their fame, they will repeat what they did with their 1980 PC leadership ― fritter it away and end up a niche player once again.

eComm in Amsterdam ― shameless self promotion

I've just wrapped up a focused effort that delayed blogging and many other things.  As a result, I finally submitted the detailed description for my plenary slot at eComm Fall 2009 which will be happening in Amsterdam October 28th-30th.  My abstract is not up on the website yet, but hopefully the next few weeks will bring details on my talk and many others.  For now, let me just say my title is
   Stealth Approaches to Legislating Open Spectrum
in which I propose what I hope is a novel approach to dramatically expanding the capabilities and commercial success of license-exempt consumer devices.

This will be the first time eComm has been held in Europe but, based on the first two eComm conferences (2008 and Spring 2009), this is the meeting for the future of communications.  It's not a trade show and it's not a mass event.  Instead, it's three days of rapid paced information ― high level, insightful and non-commercial.  Even more important, the people are very, very interesting.  It's not cheap, but it costs less if you sign up now (especially if you sign up before July 21st).  What's more, because I'm such an enthusiast, and I'm on the conference's advisory board, I've been given a discount code.  For an additional 20% off type in "BroughTurner" as the eComm discount code, i.e. where the registration form says "Click here to enter a promotional code."

I hope to see you in Amsterdam in October.

Opportunity Doesn't Always Knock. Sometimes It Calls.

The mammoth telecom industry ― fixed and cellular ― is in the process of being re-written. You can stand on the side and be written into history or join with the growing community that's writing the future. Opportunities have never been so great ― to influence how humanity connects, communicates and collaborates and to profit from radical restructuring.