[governance] What happened at the NARALO/ALAC/CCNSO?

Tue Dec 4 11:53:53 EST 2007

What happened at the ALAC?

Danny Younger expressed his concerns at a timly manner and on the proper Icann
list.

Anyone??? on the  NARALO, ALAC, or CCNSO care to comment about
*What Happened*.

The results of what happened (or that is, what did'nt happen)
are about to cement themselves in the 700MHz spectrum.
___________________________________________________________________

Final Thread: #4 Drop ALAC altogether???

A Primer on the FCC's 700MHz Auction
Grant Gross, IDG News Service: PC World / Business Center 
Monday, December 03, 2007 7:00 PM PST

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/140245/a_primer_on_the_fccs_700mh
z_auction.html

Companies wishing to bid in the upcoming 700MHz auctions at the U.S. Federal
Communications Commission were largely silent about their plans today, the
deadline for submitting bid applications.

Google on Friday announced it plans to bid on the spectrum, often called "beach
front" property because it can carry wireless broadband signals three to four
times farther than some other spectrum bands. An AT&T spokesman on Monday
confirmed the company's earlier statements saying it intends to bid.

A Verizon Wireless spokeswoman declined to comment on the company's bidding
plans. Verizon in September had filed a lawsuit against the FCC for its
so-called open-access requirements on about a third of the 62MHz of spectrum to
be auctioned starting in late January. But last week the company announced it
would open up its existing network to outside wireless devices and applications
starting in 2008. So Verizon's objections to the FCC's similar open-access
rules seem to have subsided.

Sprint Nextel does not plan to participate, a spokesman said. "Sprint has all
the spectrum it needs to meet its strategic business needs," spokesman Scott
Sloat said.

Startup Frontline Wireless, made up of wireless industry and government
veterans, has also indicated it plans to bid in the auctions. There could be
dozens of other bidders, including regional wireless carriers and broadband
providers.

What Happens Now?
The FCC plans to make the names of the auction applicants public by Dec. 28.
For one of the first times, the FCC is conducting an anonymous bidding process,
so it will not disclose what sections of spectrum applicants intend to bid on.

The auctions begin on Jan. 24, but they could last several weeks. Auctions go
on as long as bidders keep bidding; the FCC's last major auctions, its advanced
wireless services auctions in 2006, lasted about five weeks. If reserve prices
aren't met on parts of spectrum, the FCC will re-auction those bands.

The auction is conducted electronically with numerous rounds per day, with time
frames for rounds growing shorter as bidding activity heats up.

Why Is This Auction Important?
The 700MHz auctions represent the last large chunk of spectrum available for
the FCC to auction in the foreseeable future. In addition, the spectrum, now
used to carry over-the-air television signals, can be used to carry long-range
wireless broadband traffic. Many people, including FCC Chairman Kevin Martin
have said the auction represents a golden opportunity to create a nationwide
broadband network in competition with the providers of cable modem and DSL
(Digital Subscriber Line) and fiber-based services.

Some consumer groups have called the auctions the "last, best hope" for a third
pipe that competes with cable operators such as Comcast and DSL and fiber-based
providers such as AT&T and Verizon Communications.

While many observers see the spectrum as optimal for wireless broadband, some
carriers may use it for traditional wireless voice traffic as well. Some plans
for the spectrum will likely include networks that merge traditional wireless
voice with high-speed data services. Google seemed to be headed in that
direction when it launched an open-development handset coalition in early
November. 

In addition, about 20MHz of spectrum will go toward a nationwide voice and data
network for public safety agencies, including police and fire departments. The
U.S. Congress set aside about half of that spectrum for a public safety
umbrella group, and the other half will be auctioned, with the winning bidder
required to build a nationwide network that serves commercial and public-safety
needs.

Several lawmakers and public-safety officials pushed hard for the spectrum
after communication problems during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on
the U.S. and later disasters. Public-safety agencies, using a wide variety of
devices on different bands of spectrum, weren't able to communicate with each
other.

The FCC didn't require that bidders build certain types of networks, except
that a voice and data network is envisioned for the public-safety network. And
customers taking advantage of the open-access rules on about a third of the
spectrum are likely to connect a variety of devices to the network. Beyond
that, the FCC has required geographic or population-based build-out
requirements on much of the spectrum.

What's Being Auctioned?
For sale is 62MHz of spectrum in the 700MHz band. In late 2005, after a decade
of debate, Congress passed a law requiring U.S. TV stations to move to
all-digital broadcasts and abandon analog spectrum between channels 52 and 69.
The deadline for TV stations to end broadcasts in the 700MHz band is February
2009.

The spectrum is broken up into five blocks. The C block, a 22MHz of spectrum
that has the open-access rules, is broken up into 12 regional licenses across
the U.S. A bidder can win one or more of those regional licenses.

The A block is 12MHz, broken up into 176 smaller regions called economic areas,
as is the 6MHz E block. The 12MHz B block is broken up into 734 local areas
called cellular market areas. Again, bidders can win multiple regional or local
licenses.

Finally, 10MHz of spectrum in the D block, paired with about 10MHz set aside
for public safety, is a nationwide license.

Congress has budgeted the auctions to raise at least $10 billion, but many
observers expect them to cost much more. The FCC set the reserve price for the
C block of spectrum at $4.6 billion.
___________________________________________________________________

Previous related thread[s]: #1 (Begining to End)
ref: http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/arc/governance/2007-12/msg00042.html

Danny,

What happend after this? In the end, How did this pan out??
Where does NeuStar stand today???

Ref.:
http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/pipermail/alac_atlarge-lists.icann.org/2007q2/00
1021.html

[At-Large] [NA-Discuss] MOU - ICANN Obligations: Redelegation
Jacqueline A. Morris jam at jacquelinemorris.com 
Thu Jun 14 10:40:54 EDT 2007 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Danny
My email was to inform you that it is not ONLY a NA concern, and that the
rest of the regions are working on cc issues as well. This was informational
and there is no reason to threaten the existence of the NARALO. The NA
region is part of the global AtLarge, and should be interested in working
together with the rest of the world, and not only in isolation. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Danny Younger [mailto:] ;
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 9:42 AM
To: jam at jacquelinemorris.com; 'NA Discuss'
Subject: RE: [NA-Discuss] MOU - ICANN Obligations: Redelegation

Hi Jacqueline,

Sorry to disagree, but the NeuStar contract with the
USG is scheduled to expire by the end of October
(posing a potential redelegation issue), and frankly
we don't have the luxury of waiting for the ALAC and
the CCNSO to come to grips with the global aspects of
the problem.  This is a timely regional issue for us
that we should be at liberty to handle by way of
positing an ICANN obligation in the MOU (which is
within our rights to request).	The RALOs exist to
deal with regional concerns.  Let us handle this
matter in our own fashion or let's just scrap the RALO
concept.

regards,
Danny

--- "Jacqueline A. Morris"
wrote:

> Hi Danny
> This is a concern in other places, and ALAC has set
> up several meetings with
> ccNSO in San Juan to discuss how we can work
> together on issues such as
> this. I don't think that it belongs in the NARALO
> MoU, but rather is a
> global issue that ALL regions should work on
> together.
> Jacqueline
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Danny Younger 
> Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 9:11 AM
> To: NA Discuss
> Subject: [NA-Discuss] MOU - ICANN Obligations:
> Redelegation
> 
> I remain troubled by the total lack of transparency
> in
> the ccTLD redelegation process.  Has anyone ever
> seen
> a detailed redelegation request posted for
> consideration prior to action being taken by the
> Board?
> 
> The .us situation is particularly bad. On the last
> go-around ICANN bypassed the normal IANA processes
> to
> declare an "emergency redelegation" -- see
>
http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-19nov01.htm
> 
> I certainly don't want the relevant Internet
> community
> being kept in the dark should the delegation of the
> .us namespace become an issue.
> 
> I would ask that the NARALO MOU stipulate that ICANN
> has the obligation to inform the NARALO upon the
> receipt of any relevant ccTLD redelegation request
> (.us or .ca) so that community input may be provided
> (as per RFC 1591:  "it is also appropriate for
> interested parties to have some voice in selecting
> the
> designated manager.")
>
--------------------------------------------------------
>
> NA-Discuss mailing list
> NA-Discuss at atlarge-lists.icann.org
>
http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/na-discuss_atlarge-lists.icann.
org
___________________________________________________________________

Followup Thread: #2
ref: http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/arc/governance/2007-12/msg00043.html

Danny,

How come I can't find Amounts($) in 'Contractor Costs' ????
-
NeuStar Contract for Management of .us Internet Domain.
Modification 001 to the contract with NeuStar, November 1, 2007 
Ref.:
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/usca/usTLD2007.html

[See PDF Here]
N. Contractor Costs: 
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/usca/usTLD2007_19_N_Costs.pdf

Why the Black-Out ??? (Figures are blacked out) 
Did NTIA see it as a National Security Issue ???

It glares at me like Nixon's 18½ Minute Watergate tape gap.

___________________________________________________________________

Followup Thread: #3
http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/arc/governance/2007-12/msg00057.html

Oh ... Oooooh OK,

I get it now, sorry I'm a little slow to catch on ...

So let me get this striaght:

The FCC is putting up the 700 MHz "beachfront property" for Auction.
[ http://gigaom.com/2007/03/14/700mhz-explained/ ;]

So as a results, Google and Verison are going to the mat for the space-race.
Ref.: Google to battle telecom giants for wireless Web
http://www.mercurynews.com/businessheadlines/ci_7609218

Mean while NeuStar cinches the contract with the NTIA for the next 3yrs,
and operates the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA)
[ Assigns blocks of phone numbers to all qualified telecommunications 
companies
in the 19 countries in North America, and manages area code utilization and
relief. ] 
[ http://www.neustar.biz/ ;|http://www.nanpa.com/ ;]

The Auction
Now then, Google Brings Vint Cerf onboard, it already has a phone in the 
works,
a content network, and a huge wad of dough.

NeuStar then aquires Paul Lacouture to its Board of Directors. Lacouture is 
the
former executive vice president of engineering and technology at Verizon
Telecom, having retired in August 2007.

In his new role, Lacouture joins NeuStar directors James Cullen, former
president and COO of Bell Atlantic Corporation; Ross Ireland, former senior
executive vice president of Services and CTO of SBC Communications Inc.; Dr.
Kenneth Pickar, Visiting Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the California
Institute of Technology; Jeff Ganek, Chairman and CEO of NeuStar; Hellene
Runtagh, former CEO and President of Berwind Group; Joel Friedman, former
president of Accenture's Business Process Outsourcing organization; and 
Michael
Rowny, chairman of Rowny Capital and former president and CEO of MCI's
International Ventures, Alliances, and Correspondent group. 
The company's board now totals 8 members, 7 of whom are non-employee 
directors.

[ http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/NEF06002112007-1.htm
]

How nice. 

So as NeuStar expands its global reach, they Join the UIQ Alliance, UIQ
Technology creates and licenses the open software platform UIQ to leading
mobile phone manufacturers. Our flexible and customizable user interface and
development platform is pre-integrated and tested with Symbian OS, the leading
industry standard operating system for smartphones.
[ http://www.uiq.com/aboutus.html ;| 
Members: http://www.uiq.com/partner_directory.html ;]

In fact they (NeuStar, Inc.) announced that it has partnered with leading
mobile phone operator SFR to bring Windows Live Messenger to SFR’s 18 million
customers in France.
[ http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=54161 ;]

So NeuStar has positioned itself in both the US and European Markets,
NeuStar's the Man ... if Google or Verison wins the 700 MHz Beachfront!

I wonder if they will be selling Beachfront Condos or TimeShares???
Ref.: Will wireless carriers really open their networks?
[
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/att-verizon-really-open-their/story.aspx?
guid=E8841127-57FF-41CC-8C23-FB682B3E6BF3&dist=SecMostMailed ]

Well I'll be damned, ain't that something, all though people do'en all that 
for
US.
Hummm kinda brings a tear to my eyes.

Danny, as Paul Harvey used to say: And that's the rest of the Story, 
and "good day"!

___________________________________________________________________

Final Thread: #4 (Top of Page)

---
End
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