The IPI policy nerd holiday calendar may look a bit different than yours but days like World Wi-Fi Day, which is June 20th, and World IP Day, April 26th of every year, should be part of your awareness, too. Why? These two days celebrate two of the fundamental building blocks of the modern innovation economy.
World Wi-Fi Day is a global recognition organized by the Wireless Broadband Alliance, designed to encourage the coordination of “cities, government bodies, fixed and mobile operators, technology vendors, and internet companies to bridge the digital divide that continues to exist in the world.”
In simple terms, Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that allows the devices we use every day, from laptops to phones to printers and much more, to exchange information. That is, Wi-Fi allows all those devices to operate creating a network via a wireless router. As the uses for this network grow so too does the wi-fi economy, and the United States thrives on Wi-Fi.
The US ranks amongst countries with the widest Wi-Fi adoption. According to a study by the Wi-Fi Alliance, the US has 33.5 million paid and 18.6 million free public Wi-Fi access points. Most know Wi-Fi best as their in-home access resource for networking a myriad of devices, which is not a surprise given that 85% of broadband subscribers have Wi-Fi at home. Whether in the home or not, the economic dimensions and opportunities for growth seem almost endless.
Already valued at $995 billion, the total economic value of Wi-Fi is projected to rise to more than $1.5 trillion by 2025. Driving that increase in value is the expansion of its uses. With robotics and greater automation, artificial intelligence and the increased networking of more devices, Wi-Fi is woven through everything we do for work, learning and play. As the volume of use increases so too will the need for more spectrum to avoid congestion. This is where Congress needs to act.
Congress has allowed the FCC’s spectrum auction authority to lapse. Under previous and wiser policy the spectrum pipeline kept flowing while also providing the opportunity to balance licensed, shared licensed and unlicensed spectrum. As of now, no spectrum is flowing, and the future of U.S. innovation is therefore at risk.
People love being connected wherever they go, and enjoy having their things connected at home. If glitches due to Wi-Fi congestion become commonplace they will rightly look to blame this Congressional inaction.
The key is finding the right spectrum balance. Licensed spectrum provides direct revenue to the federal coffers, but the value of unlicensed spectrum to the overall economy is also substantial. Economically, auction proceeds are a revenue center, but unlicensed spectrum contributes to economic growth which also benefits the federal treasury. Spectrum policy should focus on promoting innovation and providing the right spectrum mix for the country.
Allowing FCC auction authority to lapse is bad enough. But to allow the situation to persist is inexcusable. Spectrum is incredibly valuable and should be treated as the terrific natural resource it is – the cornerstone of a vibrant innovation economy and future.