
FCC orders 2M people to power down cell phone signal boosters - shawndumas
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/02/fcc-orders-2m-people-to-power-down-cell-phone-signal-boosters/
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revelation
You know, technical arguments why some customer should not be transmitting
willy-nilly on these spectrums aside, I always end up at the same conclusion:
the customer is fucked. That seems indicative of missing regulation. Picture
the scenario.

FCC auctions spectrum to BigBadMobile. Customer enters into contract with
BigBadMobile, whose mobile network is completely overloaded and barely
reachable for customer, but there are no other providers. Customer installs
signal booster at his own cost to enhance the signal to the only provider. FCC
turns around and tells customer they can't do that.

Now maybe the FCC should connect frequency allocation with requirements to
provide adequate power and coverage to customers, and we wouldn't be having
this discussion. Thats how state sanctioned monopolies work, right? You get a
monopoly on X but you have to provide service to those that would not normally
be profitable to service.

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ChuckMcM
Interesting, since some signal boosters are pretty much carrier agnostic,
boosting any of the various 3G bands, I wonder how that plays out. Can Boost
Mobile give permission even though the booster also boosts signals in the AT&T
bands?

And why do the carriers even care if the signal is getting better for their
customers? We already have interference requirements that cover problems with
interference. Sigh.

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bradleyland
Because carriers have figured out how to sell consumers a Femtocell device at
the customer's expense, while offloading traffic to wireline transports, thus
negating the need for network upgrades.

AT&T version: <http://www.att.com/standalone/3gmicrocell/?fbid=FQSS3QyGy51>

Verizon version: <http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/device/network-extender>

This, and what rayiner said. Cell networks are really difficult.

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jebblue
>> Wireless boosters are "saving the carriers money by not making them build
more towers, but now they can charge you for improving the holes in their own
network," Feld said.

>> "For some reason, the commission has delegated authority to the carrier."

I wonder if the FCC is receiving kickbacks from the carriers for implementing
these rules? Is this worthy of petitioning the President to call of the dogs
at the FCC? I can just imagine some greedy, beady-eyed Scrooge type at some
large unnamed carrier wringing their hands in anticipation at the prospect of
adding ... more fees to our bills.

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teeja
Don't see anything there about 73-element boosters.

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Dylan16807
What?

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rtpg
2 million people != 2 million devices

