Castle in the Air: A Domain Name System for Spectrum

26 Pages Posted: 23 Feb 2010

See all articles by Kevin Werbach

Kevin Werbach

University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School, Legal Studies & Business Ethics Department

Date Written: July 2009

Abstract

This article envisions the foundational infrastructure for a true wireless Internet. The domain name system (DNS) for addressing allowed the Internet to scale as a decentralized, loosely-coupled system. A similar system for the wireless communication would allow devices to negotiate frequently assignments and other attributes dynamically. The traditional, static approach to spectrum allocation creates massive inefficiencies, which will become increasingly problematic as wireless demand grows. A DNS for spectrum could be based on the database the Federal Communications Commission recently mandated for devices operating in the “White Spaces” around broadcast television channels. Such an infrastructure would enable rapid growth and innovation in next-generation mobile devices and applications.

Keywords: spectrum, wireless, domain name system, unlicensed, white spaces, DNS

Suggested Citation

Werbach, Kevin, Castle in the Air: A Domain Name System for Spectrum (July 2009). Northwestern University Law Review, Forthcoming, TPRC 2009, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1557244

Kevin Werbach (Contact Author)

University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School, Legal Studies & Business Ethics Department ( email )

3730 Walnut Street
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Philadelphia, PA 19104-6365
United States
215-898-1222 (Phone)

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