Government warns of wireless network congestion again, rides iPad to push its spectrum agenda
The feds simply aren't backing down from their incessant warnings of a wireless broadband spectrum crunch the likes of which the world has never seen, and they've seemingly found a great vehicle -- the iPad -- to help spread the message just a little further (and at a higher volume) than before. This time around, it's the Omnibus Broadband Initiative's director of scenario planning Phil Bellaria who's sounding the alarm, saying that the iPad foretells "even greater demand for mobile broadband on the horizon" and asking that the people with the money and the power (the carriers and the FCC, respectively) do what it takes to make sure that the nation's broadband infrastructure and policy are appropriately managed in light of that. Perhaps most provocative is his statement that "reaching an always-on wireless broadband future means that the spectrum can no longer remain attached solely to uses deemed valuable decades ago," possibly a veiled reference to the FCC's ongoing spat with TV broadcasters over the future of over-the-air broadcasts. Free TV or an iPad with a fast, functional browsing experience -- if it came down to it, which would you prefer?
