Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Nextwave Telecom Inc. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: SirWalterRalegh who wrote (1001)	4/25/2008 6:35:52 PM
From: Maurice Winn	Respond to of 1088

I have no idea what spectrum NextWave owns, but I believe it's in the 2GHz range. When we [Zenbu] tried to figure out the value of spectrum in NZ, we decided that 2GHz hasn't got much value. 450MHz to 900MHz is plenty for what people need to do, if using OFDM/CDMA technology to do it, and with "current price is ..." minute/megabyte pricing to cut demand at peaks and increase it during low demand times. In Beijing, where hordes of people are swarming, maybe 2GHz has serious value. Maybe also in some densely populated places like New York there is value in high frequencies too. But as base stations and devices get smaller and more efficient, there's less and less need for lots of spectrum. Human density is limited by physiological/DNA/cultural facts and our brains have limited capacity. Machines need limited amounts of data too. Cities can string fibre all over the place economically. Even with existing technology when more mature, there will be plenty of spectrum for all the things that need doing. Swarms of low-power picocells hanging off fibre seems a more likely solution than the old monster cellphone towers, gobbling huge amounts of spectrum and electricity. If devices are only sending signals 50 metres or so, instead of 3 kilometres, and using OFDM, to do it, then there should be plenty of 450MHz spectrum to go around. Maybe pulsed monocycles will take over. Plugging in another picocell doesn't require town planning and environmental hearings, monthly ground rent, insurance, maintenance and huge electricity supplies as do large base stations. It's cheap to glue a little device onto a wall or ceiling. Mqurice