Wireless spreads out with 700Mhz

Only a few months ago, the wireless world picked up energy as we waited for the introduction of Apple's iPhone. That energy will, I think, pale in comparison to what's coming next January: the auction of spectrum and the build-out of new services based on analog television frequencies. So far, the debate over how that spectrum should be auctioned has been fairly predictable. The companies that won the original cell phone auctions have built enormous businesses based on the current model and think it should be repeated with 700 MHz. Companies that weren't part of that process think the auction should be different. The FCC decided to make both sides equally miserable with its decision--it remains to be seen whether the direst predictions from either side come to pass. I believe that we're going to end up with creative people finding creative solutions to the shortcomings of the system, and bringing new services to market. Between the new services, WiMAX, and 802.11n, the next 12-24 months promise to be some of the most exciting times we've ever seen in wireless networking and applications. I don't know about you, but I can't wait. -Curtis