WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - October 12, 2010) - WISPA, the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association, welcomes the FCC's recent decision to help pave the way for WISPs to provide broadband service to millions of homes and businesses in rural areas of the country.
WISPA is especially pleased that the FCC eliminated rules requiring spectrum sensing and instead will rely on a series of online geolocation databases to select available white space channels. The FCC's decision will reduce equipment costs, making broadband services more affordable.
"This is a big step for the American consumer. We are pleased the FCC recognized that it needed to eliminate unnecessary operating rules to ensure that the spectrum remains available for its intended purposes," said Rick Harnish, WISPA's Executive Director.
The FCC has not yet designated the companies that will administer the geolocation databases. WISPA is optimistic that the FCC will authorize the database administrators soon because a delay in the release of the FCC database order will slow wide-scale deployment.
Jack Unger, WISPA's FCC Committee Chair, said "We worked closely with the FCC over the last several years. They understand that our members are ready, willing and able to meet the challenge of serving rural Americans who have no broadband today. As the geolocation databases are ramped up and manufacturers start producing equipment, we will continue working with the FCC so all rural Americans can enjoy the advantages that fixed wireless broadband makes possible."
About WISPA
The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association is a non-profit association of more than 400 WISPs, consultants and others committed to supporting the provision of fixed wireless broadband services. WISPs today serve more than 2,000,000 people, many of whom have no other source for broadband service. For more information contact Rick Harnish at (260) 307-4000.