But, very serious questions have been raised about the need for exclusive licenses at all. In the April 11 issue of Forbes ASAP, George Gilder points to the broadband digital radio technology called the MiniCell from Steinbrecher Corp. which obviates the need for dedicating spectrum for particular services. Combind with spread-spectrum technology which facilitates multiple users of the same spectrum, all the old assumptions about exclusive spectrum use begin to crumble. I've spent the last fifteen years as an analyst studying the ways that technology leads to the formation of new industries. While I learn more every day, I have reached some conclusions as a result of this study.
Regulation is entirely inappropriate during the early stages when such an industry is forming.
Attempts at such regulation can only hamstring the innovators while favoring the dinosaurs who hire the lobbyists in Washington. This is not an ideological position on my part. I support regulation, in principle, for established industries. I am a scientist by training and this position is as close to a scientific judgement as I can make on these issues. There is a exciting explosion of creative innovation at work in our lives, on our networks and in our garages which has the breakthrough potential to invent new media industries.