Marcus Spectrum Solutions LLC (MSS) is an independent consulting firm in the areas of radio/wireless technology and spectrum policy in the Washington, DC area. Based in Paris, France from 2004 to 2007, we have our roots in the US and clients in Japan, Europe, and the US.
Our focus is helping clients get new wireless technology into the marketplace by finding realistic solutions to spectrum sharing problems.
Pioneer experience in spectrum policy for innovative wireless technology. (Click on picture for 6/30/81 presentation to FCC that lead to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.)
European Commissioner for Information Society & Media
2006
The above search engine has been customized to find spectrum information on FCC. NTIA, and MSS-related websites. You will see that it works better than the FCC's own search engine. (Note: Using this search engine requires that Java be enabled for your browser. If you don't see an input window for the browser above this text, Java is turned off in your browser.) Alternative link to search engine
Introduction
Radio/wireless technology is of growing importance as society becomes more mobile and more information intensive. Electromagnetic spectrum is the natural resource that this technology uses and is heavily regulated around the world in order to maximize its efficiency and minimize interference.
Our goal is to help clients navigate through the spectrum policy maze that they must go through in order to get new technology to market. We do this by searching for solutions to problems involving impact of new technology on other spectrum users. All new transmitters since Marconi’s second transmitter have created interference for other radio systems. If all you want to do is to “throw stones” at other people’s spectrum proposals -- that is relatively easy. What is harder is finding real solutions to spectrum problems and showing spectrum regulators, in language they can understand, how the impact of a new technology can be kept to acceptable levels. We are also interested in working with existing spectrum users who want to upgrade their technology or see if they can coexist with a proposed new technology to be operated by others.
Increasing spectrum productivity is critical because:
• spectrum directly supports industries with revenues of 100s of billions of dollars/euros,
• efficient communications is key to national productivity and
• new communications systems often lead to whole new business models for ancillary businesses that in turn can stimulate even more economic growth.
Dr. Michael Marcus, the Founder and Director of MSS, was a pioneer in getting new technology into the spectrum during his nearly 25 years at FCC. His major accomplishments include the introduction of spread spectrum – including the rules under which Wi-Fi and Bluetooth operate – and the opening of bands at 57-64 GHz, 71-75 GHz, 81-85 GHz, and 92-95 GHz. He has been honored as an IEEE Fellow “for leadership in the development of spectrum management policies”.
Some of the technologies we are particularly interested in include:
Millimeter wave (mmW ) technology allows for "fiberless fiber", that is point-to-point capacity comparable to fiber/light communications but without the large initial installation cost. This technology can be used for broadband access in the business environment and for backbones in mobile radio systems. The nature of mmW technology is such that less rigid regulatory structures are needed than at lower frequencies. In the US, this resulted in unlicensed use at 57-64 GHz and very simplified licensing at 70 and 80 GHz. Other countries are deciding now what approaches to use.
Software defined radio (SDR) technology allows radios to be modified after they leave the factory through a software download. At present manufacturers make and inventory a variety of models for markets around the world. Use of SDR technology could rationalize this production/inventory process with economies in both areas: a small number of models then could be customized at or near the point of sale to meet specific requirements. The policy framework for this is already in place in the US and is being considered elsewhere. Cognitive radio technology builds on SDR so that radios can adapt to their environment, selecting parameters such as frequency, power, and modulation based on location, local regulations, and activities of other spectrum users. While spectrum allocation charts worldwide show that most spectrum is used, actual monitoring generally shows a lot of "white space" -- spectrum which is not used at a given time and place. Carefully designed cognitive radio systems could use this white space to increase spectrum utilization and provide additional services without interfering with the primary users. Current primary spectrum users might use this technology to derive revenue from their present spectrum assignments during periods of low use.
Qualifications to Help You:
• Pioneer of spread spectrum commercialization 1981-85
"But the FCC, prompted by a visionary engineer on its staff, Michael Marcus, took three chunks of spectrum from the ISM bands and opened them up to communications engineers" The Economist, June 12, 2004, p. 26
Winner of first IEEE-USA Electrotechnology Transfer Award, 1994 "For his pioneering work in the conception, drafting, and enactment of the Federal regulations that legalized commercial spread spectrum radio under FCC Part 15, the rules governing unlicensed devices; thus spawning a multimillion dollar, worldwide, wireless industry."
• Pioneer of millimeterwave commercialization 1992-2003
Named IEEE Fellow in 2004 "For leadership in the development of spectrum management policies" FCC Announcement
• Education in engineering with strong experience in legal and economic issues key to practical spectrum policy
Frequent presenter at Telecommunications Policy Research Conference, the key US conference on economic aspects of telecommunications policy, for example
• 25 year veteran of FCC spectrum management with an exchange assignment (Mike Mansfield Fellowship) in Japanese spectrum regulator (MPT Radio Department (Now MIC)
• Frequent visitor and speaker in Japan on radio technology and spectrum policy
More than 15 presentations at Japanese technical conferences
Services available:
• Exploring new product and service opportunities that can be created by major changes in spectrum regulation
- Assessing opportunities created by new policies for client's technology base
- Working with development staff to consider feasibility of specific new products or services
- Developing proposals for possible new services and products based on both technology and policy
• For clients with new radio technology seeking market opportunities
- Assessment of spectrum regulatory issues in possible market countries
- Developing strategies for market access
- Interaction with development staff to seek technical solutions that address regulatory issues
- Interaction with regulatory authorities to explore options
- Assist client with preparation of public comments to regulators
- Assist client in ITU representation
- Solving your problems!
• Due diligence
Contact Information:
Michael J. Marcus, Sc.D.
Director
Marcus Spectrum Solutions LLC
Cabin John, Maryland, USA
(Washington DC area)
+1-301-229-2818
Top photograph is from the North coast of Crete, Greece
This page is entirely in a san serif type font. This
typography is a memorial to Mrs. Jacqueline Casey,
the chief graphic designer at MIT while I was a
student. While she was not a member of the faculty,
I learned much from her including her strong belief
that such fonts were key to clean design.
She is missed.
