Wireless Innovation Alliance Launches Campaign to Bring Broadband Access to All Americans

A coalition of technology innovators, public interest advocates, think tanks, and higher education organizations today launched a campaign to make wireless broadband in the United States a reality. The Wireless Innovation Alliance (WIA) will work with the Federal Communications Commission and policymakers to develop clear, reasonable regulations that enable the incredible potential of vacant portions of television broadcast spectrum, commonly known as TV "white spaces," to be realized.Television white spaces are an unused national resource that holds the key to major advances in wireless communications, broadband deployment and accessibility, as well as consumer applications like "smart houses" and mobile television, says the association.

"We are living through a critical juncture in communications history -- a moment when technological innovation has the opportunity to dramatically improve our access to information and quality of life," said Michael Calabrese, vice president of the New America Foundation and director of its Wireless Future Program. "Much as telephones, radios, and TVs revolutionized telecommunications in previous generations, white space devices will transform every aspect of civil society. White space devices provide an innovative platform for a new generation of technologies, services, and applications -- they are the building blocks of a 21st century communications infrastructure."

"I'm proud to support the WIA coalition, alongside my colleagues in Congress who also back the use of TV white spaces," said U.S. Representative Jay Inslee (WA-01). "I look forward to helping the coalition's education campaign, and congratulate the member organizations for their dedication to this critical issue."

"It gives me great pleasure to stand in full support of the WIA coalition, alongside my colleagues in Congress who support the use of TV white spaces," said U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (TN-7). "I look forward to aiding the coalition's education campaign, and congratulate the member organizations for their dedication to this critical issue."

"Our effort is about seizing a golden technological opportunity to deploy robust broadband, spur innovation, and maintain America's leadership in the global innovation economy," said Rhett Dawson, CEO, Information Technology Industry Coalition. "We all firmly believe that the FCC's liberation of vacant spectrum will promote greater broadband connectivity and foster the development of innovative new wireless devices and technologies for all Americans."

The WIA includes more than 15 organizations, representing the technology industry, consumer and public interest groups, and educational and technical organizations. The Alliance also enjoys strong bipartisan support from a growing number of Congressional Members committed to actively working to create opportunity and enable innovation in the U.S. The goal of the Alliance is to work closely with policymakers to craft rules of the road that will enable the benefits of TV white spaces, which lie vacant in as much as 75% in some areas of the country.