There Is No Wi-Fi War With China. 5G, However….
I am loathe to bring any additional attention to any of the very many ridiculous things that find their way over my transom.
I kid. I’m a kidder. I’ve made a career (such as it is) out of doing exactly that.
One of my many bette noires is Communist China. With whom we have spent the last half-century-plus doing pretty much everything exactly wrong.
I have spent much of my career (such as it is) saying so.
China all-but-owns DC - and most of the Swamp’s many creatures. So China gets whatever they want - whenever they want.
One huge China problem we have? For which DC is doing just about everything but the right thing? Wireless spectrum policy:
“Spectrum is the airwaves we use for all things wireless. From your intercontinental cell phone all the way down to your car key fob.
“The spectrum supply is finite - and not all spectrum is equally useful. Think of it as a Monopoly board. Some spectrum is Boardwalk and Park Place - some is Baltic and Mediterranean Avenues. And varying degrees in between.”
Each country has its own finite spectrum supply. Which means the government needs to set policy to distribute it.
Except uh oh - China pretty much owns DC….
Why Is DC So One-Sided, Wrong-Sided and China-Sided In Its Spectrum Allocation?:
“Most spectrum belongs to the federal government. Shocker: It’s using it very inefficiently. And it is very inefficiently getting more of it out to the private sector. Where it can be better used - in either a licensed or unlicensed fashion.
“‘“Unlicensed spectrum is a part of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be assigned to or shared with anyone for non-exclusive usage….’
“‘Licensed spectrum is a part of the electromagnetic spectrum assigned exclusively to mobile network operators (MNOs) for independent usage.’
“Except we are in a race with Communist China in the licensed spectrum space….”
The US and China race each other to be first to every new generation of wireless network. To wit: The current race to the Fifth Generation wireless network (5G). These races require licensed spectrum. And ONLY licensed spectrum.
The nation that gets to the next network first? Gets to set the global rules, regulations and standards.
Pretty sure we don’t want China doing that. But from all appearances, DC does.
Again, a reminder….
Unlicensed Spectrum Doesn't Help With Our China Problem
So then why is DC doing this…?:
“The current turf battle in the DC Spectrum War is over what is known as the mid-band:
“‘Mid-band (also called Sub-6) is the most practical spectrum for wireless data transmission.’
“The government still holds about 60% of the mid-band spectrum (3,390 MHz). Of the remaining 40%? The government has allocated to unlicensed spectrum - the kind nigh utterly useless in the China-5G race - 33% (1,905 MHz). That means just 7% (450 MHz) has been licensed.
“And yet the unlicensed advocates are demanding even more unlicensed spectrum.”
Speaking of the “unlicensed advocates?” Recently this bit of ridiculousness was published….
Wi-Fi is America’s Secret Weapon in the Tech Race with China:
"If we want to put America first, we must put Wi-Fi first.”
This is so patently absurd - and ridiculously, transparently so.
Someone sent out the order: “Use MAGA language and anti-China rhetoric - for a policy that isn’t MAGA and doesn’t help at all with our China problem.”
There is so much dumbness in this article. Nearly all of it revolves around pretending China-esque things aren’t China-esque - and anti-China things are pro-China:
“Wi-Fi is uniquely American. It was made in America and reflects American values: freedom, decentralization, and innovation. It operates in unlicensed spectrum—open and accessible, without centralized control.
“This stands in stark contrast to China’s reliance on government-regulated, licensed spectrum, which enables strict control by the state.”
All of this is exactly wrong.
Wi-Fi is government giving away spectrum. For free. That sounds pretty Communist to me. Of course, some people will use the free spectrum for commercial endeavors. But pretending the government’s spectrum welfare program - isn’t the government’s spectrum welfare program? Is ridiculous.
Even more ridiculous? Pretending private companies purchasing spectrum for private use - is China-esque. The assertion is just so exceedingly stupid.
The government doesn’t control the spectrum once it’s sold. The company that bought it does.
And which spectrum seems more likely to be a victim of future government control? The stuff government sold - or the stuff government gave away for free?
This article is just IDIOTIC:
“As Congress prepares to renew the FCC’s authority in the upcoming Budget Reconciliation bill, it should keep three goals in mind: accelerate American innovation, counter China’s technological ambitions, and unlock long-term economic prosperity. Expanding and protecting Wi-Fi capabilities directly advances each of these goals.”
Actually, Wi-Fi does literally nothing to “counter China’s technological ambitions.” Giving more free spectrum to domestic Starbucks’s doesn’t help with our China problem.
Licensed spectrum does help with our China problem. Because we are actually, directly competing with China in a race that requires licensed spectrum. And ONLY licensed spectrum.
Sure, Wi-Fi “accelerate(s) American innovation” and “unlock(s) long-term economic prosperity.” But so does licensed spectrum.
And licensed spectrum directly takes on the Chinese. Whilst the Chinese sit in American Starbucks’s - using the free Wi-Fi spectrum our government gave away.
Oh: And again, there’s already nearly five times the unlicensed mid-band spectrum as there is licensed.
And the unlicensed advocates are ridiculously, stupidly asking for even more.
Instead? Let’s right that balance a little, shall we? To actually do something about China - for a change.