White Spaces are awesome not COMCASTIC!

Hey Ebreebodie! I'm begging you please, please, please, please Ebreebodie make 3 phone calls today to keep the airwaves we are no longer going to be using for TV and open them up to be used by the people, not COMCASTIC CORPORATIONS.

Senator (R-Oregon) Gordon Smith
Phone: (202) 224-3753 / (503) 326-3386

Senator (D-Oregon) Ron Wyden
Phone: (202) 224-5244 / (503) 326-3386

Representative (D-Oregon) Earl Blumenauer
Phone: (202) 225-4811 / (503) 231-2300

Senator: (D-Washington) Patty Murray
Phone: (202) 224-2621 / (206) 553-5545

Senator: (D-Washington) Maria Cantwell
Phone: (202) 224-3441 / (206) 220-6400

Representative (D-Brian Baird)
Phone: (202) 225-3536 / (360) 695-6292

When you call your Senator's and Representatives you can tell them:

Hello (probably gonna talk to a staffer),

My name is ___________. I am from _____________. I am calling to ask Ms/Mr___________ to write to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin urging him to open white spaces for the public good.

• I want to urge Ms/Mr_____________ to make sure the Federal Communications Commission does not further delay a set of new rules that would open up the empty television channels -- often referred to as "white spaces" -- for innovative broadband services.

• The FCC must act now to give back our airwaves for much needed broadband services that would help bridge the digital divide, lower broadband costs for consumers, and jump-start our economy through new investment in technology.

• The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you."

(very important -- VERIFY THAT THE STAFFER KNOWS WHAT 'white spaces' are and if they are clear about why you are calling. I just talked to Cantwell's office and they haven't received phone calls -- the guy didn't know what white spaces are. Patty Murray has received some calls but the staffer allowed me to briefly explain some terms. Please feel free to ask them if anyone else has called about this issue. It's important to know if no one is calling. Nov. 4th is next week!)

Are you familiar with the term white spaces?

If they answer yes:

1. I want to remind you and Ms/Mr.senator:
Powerful cell phone companies are pushing the government to auction off white spaces licenses to the highest bidder. This would give the richest companies the exclusive right to determine how they are used. Broadcasters might simply sit on a white space license to prevent others from accessing the public airwaves; a major cell phone company won't use the spectrum to compete with its existing businesses, keeping prices high and stifling innovation.

2. Again, The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you.

If they answer no:

1. "White spaces" are empty frequencies between television channels. You may have heard about how we are moving from analog television to all digital. These empty frequencies have the potential to connect millions to the information superhighway. The powerful broadcasting lobby would rather hoard this spectrum for themselves

2. Again, The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you.

Learn about unused spectrum between the TV channels "It's like Wi-Fi on Steroids":



If you do make calls leave a comment and let me know how it went. Please leave a comment if you have questions about this issue. -- Sincerely, Ste. Goldie