PCCA Journal|4
th
Quarter 2014
20
Telecom News
Continued from page 19
also inform the FCC’s efforts to ensure
that consumers everywhere can benefit
from the sweeping technological advanc-
es occurring now in the communications
industry, while preserving consumer pro-
tection, competition, universal service,
and access to emergency services during
these transitions.
The FCC said that bidders included
a diverse group of entities, including
competitive providers, electric utilities,
wireless internet service providers, and
others.
The $100 million available for the
experiments is divided into three groups:
• $75 million to test competitive interest
in building networks that are capable
of delivering 100 Mbps downloads
and 25 Mbps uploads—far in excess
of the current Connect America Fund
standard of 4/1—for the same or
lower amounts of support than will be
offered to incumbent carriers in Phase
II of Connect America
• $15 million to test interest in deliver-
ing service at 10/1 speeds in high-cost
areas
• $10 million for 10/1 service in areas
that are extremely costly to serve.
i
Pass Inc., the world’s largest
commercial Wi-Fi network, has
revealed the results of in-depth
research into global public Wi-Fi
hotspot deployments through its Wi-Fi
growth map. The data, from analysts
Maravedis Rethink, shows there will
be 47.7 million public Wi-Fi hotspots
deployed worldwide by the end of 2014.
The map shows that over the next four
years, global hotspot numbers will grow
to more than 340 million, nearly one
Wi-Fi hotspot for every twenty people on
earth by 2018. This compares to one Wi-
Fi hotspot for every 150 people today.
Further Wi-Fi growth map highlights
include:
• France is the “country of Wi-Fi” in
2014 with the most hotspots in total,
followed by the U.S. and the UK. By
2018 this will change to the U.S., fol-
lowed by China and France.
• Europe is the “continent of Wi-Fi”
with 50 percent of the world’s Wi-Fi
estate in 2014. By 2018, Asia will strip
Europe of this title.
• Today, China has five times more com-
mercial Wi-Fi hotspots than any other
country.
• Community Wi-Fi has been driven by
Europe and then North America, but
Asia will catch up in 2018.
• 22.7 million Wi-Fi hotspots are en-
abled for roaming between different
provider networks today; this number
rises to 289.3 million in 2018.
“Over the last few years we’ve seen
the emergence of the ‘Wi-Fi first’ genera-
tion. Wi-Fi has become cool again; in
fact it’s seen by most as an essential util-
ity, just like water or electricity,” iPass
FCC Boosts Wireless Broadband by
Easing Infrastructure Burdens
T
he Federal Communications Commission on
October 17 adopted a Report and Order that takes
critical steps to promote deployment of the wire-
less infrastructure necessary to provide the public
with ubiquitous, advanced wireless broadband services.
This FCC action updates and tailors the manner in which
the FCC evaluates the impact of proposed deployments on
environment and historic properties. It also adopts rules to
clarify and implement statutory limitations on state and local
government authority to review infrastructure siting applica-
tions, including a “deemed granted” remedy if a state or local
government fails to act on an eligible facilities modification
request under Section 6409(a) of the Spectrum Act. Finally, it
adopts an exemption from the environmental public notifica-
tion process for “temporary towers” that are in place only for
short periods of time.
Taken together, these steps lay the groundwork necessary
for delivering more wireless capacity in more locations to
consumers throughout the United States. At the same time,
the FCC said, it adheres to statutory obligations to protect
the environment and historic properties, and it safeguards
tribal, state, and local land-use priorities as well as safety and
aesthetic interests.
Study Shows One Public Hotspot
for Every 20 People on Earth by 2018