Issue
Keep the amateur bands free . . . of spam!
Q: What is Swatch doing now?
A: Playing the freedom card. That's right. Swatch Public Relations realized that the only way to fight a grass roots protest of amateur radio operators and computer hackers worldwide is to convince them that the one thing that they hold most dear is in jeopardy: their freedom to communicate and express themselves. When I first saw this note, I thought it was to and for the amateurs, but actually, it's there to instill fear, uncertainty and doubt into the causal web-readers and make them feel like the amateur radio operators are stifling their freedoms.
This isn't an issue of freeing up the radio bands! Everyone in the world has the opportunity to get an amateur radio license and talk through all the satellites available to amateur operators (almost 20 working in the sky as we speak) in real time to other people around the world through an inexpensive, legally licensed two way radio. You can even join organizations like AMSAT and help to launch even more amateur owned and operated satellites.
The one thing that keeps the amateur bands from being overrun with commerical garbage and interference, however, is that since the start of the amateur radio service worldwide we have maintained a standard that no commercial activity is allowed on the bands, period. The only thing that launching their satellite will do is give Swatch and other companies a foothold into making the amateur radio spectrum unsuitable for the research and educational purposes it was designed for. Swatch never had any right to set up shop on those frequencies, but now they're acting like a great injustice has been put upon them and the people of Earth when we ask their company to leave.
Swatch has offhandedly acknowledged our activities through their memo to the amateurs and changing their site in response to the protest. However, their responses have been transparent and without any substance. At this point our only real alternative is to contact the ITU through our local regulatory agencies as soon as possible. We have to let Swatch know that no matter how their Public Relations staff might spin this, using amateur frequencies for pecuniary interests is against International law and won't be tolerated.
If you don't have a ham radio license yet, then go to Ham Radio Online or the American Radio Relay League and find out how to study and apply for your amateur radio license. If you're not from the U.S., don't worry. Both pages have links to find the local radio authority in your country.