Dingell tries to slow white spaces vote

Well, here come the Congress-critters to carry water for the giant corporations that broadcast what they call television and are crazy to stop a national wireless network delivered over the so-called "white spaces," those unused portions of the analog TV spectrum.

Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued a letter last week challenging the FCC's plans for a formal vote on Tuesday, Nov. 4, Reuters reported.

Dingell wanted to know whether the FCC's technical analysis was peer-reviewed and why the FCC didn't just license the white spaces out.

"Why did the Commission decline to adopt a licensed approach to some of all of this spectrum?"

Peer reviewed? Does Dingell think the analysis was funded by Google? Or that white space Internet is the equivalent of selling a drug? The FCC has conducted independent analyses and tests of the devices and come to technical conclusions. The idea of peer review is tantamount to a pointless and obstructionist delay.

The vote should be conducted on Nov. 4. There is no reason to delay.