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Spectrum isn't free because it isn't free. That isn't a tautology, it's a statement of fact: spectrum has a dollar value. In nature. In nature it's got a price

by malchow 10y ago

Spectrum isn't free because it isn't free. That isn't a tautology, it's a statement of fact: spectrum has a dollar value. In nature. In nature it's got a price. Because men will trade, or pay, or war for it. Therefore, to allocate it efficiently, we should allow it to trade at that value. This is how that spectrum makes the most number of people happy. That may sound like right-wing pablum, but it's a subject that has been well trod by great thinkers for a very, very long time. [1] [1] Coase, to mention just one

steinystein 10y ago
Roads aren't free because they aren't free. That isn't a tautology, it's a statement of fact: Roads have a dollar value. In nature. In nature it's got a price. Because men will trade, or pay, or war for it. Therefore, to allocate it efficiently, we should allow it to trade at that value. This is how roads make the most number of people happy. That may sound like right-wing pablum, but it's a subject that has been well trod by great thinkers for a very, very long time. [1] [1] Coase, to mention just one
- bdonlan 10y ago
  This is increasingly being done with congestion charges and time-dependent road or bridge tolls, but it still remains difficult, from a practical perspective, to maintain a continuous auction of road capacity. Notably, wireless deployments differ from road use in that using a wireless spectrum assignment requires significant deployment time and capital investment, meaning when a frequency range is assigned it's reasonable to expect and allow a single entity to control that range for an extended period. With roads, on the other hand, a single use can be as short as a few minutes, meaning a similar auction would need to re-occur hundreds or thousands of times a day. Further, if wireless spectrum ranges are not pre-assigned, it becomes quite difficult for multiple entities trying to use the same range to coordinate to avoid interference that would render the range useless to both. Roads, on the other hand, can be reasonably shared by multiple users without any coordination ahead of time. Because of these practical difficulties, and the lack of an inherent need for usage assignments, most roads are not tolled or auctioned, and the result is heavy congestion in highly-sought-after routes at peak times.
  - olkid 10y ago
    While I agree with the substance of your comment, let us be clear about the difference between deployment and usage. Entities investing in roadway leases and toll roads align closer to wireless deployments, IMHO. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-15-u.s.-highways_x.htm http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-15-u.s.-h... Wouldn't driving on a road for a few minutes correlate closer to making a phone call or sending a text? (I can't believe I am perpetuating this analogy :P)

by malchow 10y ago

steinystein 10y ago

Roads aren't free because they aren't free. That isn't a tautology, it's a statement of fact: Roads have a dollar value. In nature. In nature it's got a price. Because men will trade, or pay, or war for it. Therefore, to allocate it efficiently, we should allow it to trade at that value. This is how roads make the most number of people happy. That may sound like right-wing pablum, but it's a subject that has been well trod by great thinkers for a very, very long time. [1] [1] Coase, to mention just one

bdonlan 10y ago
This is increasingly being done with congestion charges and time-dependent road or bridge tolls, but it still remains difficult, from a practical perspective, to maintain a continuous auction of road capacity. Notably, wireless deployments differ from road use in that using a wireless spectrum assignment requires significant deployment time and capital investment, meaning when a frequency range is assigned it's reasonable to expect and allow a single entity to control that range for an extended period. With roads, on the other hand, a single use can be as short as a few minutes, meaning a similar auction would need to re-occur hundreds or thousands of times a day. Further, if wireless spectrum ranges are not pre-assigned, it becomes quite difficult for multiple entities trying to use the same range to coordinate to avoid interference that would render the range useless to both. Roads, on the other hand, can be reasonably shared by multiple users without any coordination ahead of time. Because of these practical difficulties, and the lack of an inherent need for usage assignments, most roads are not tolled or auctioned, and the result is heavy congestion in highly-sought-after routes at peak times.
- olkid 10y ago
  While I agree with the substance of your comment, let us be clear about the difference between deployment and usage. Entities investing in roadway leases and toll roads align closer to wireless deployments, IMHO. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-15-u.s.-highways_x.htm http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-15-u.s.-h... Wouldn't driving on a road for a few minutes correlate closer to making a phone call or sending a text? (I can't believe I am perpetuating this analogy :P)