In the United States, most wireless microphones are classified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as licensed devices and operate in radio frequency (RF) spectrum that corresponds to locally unused TV channels. As part of the transition to Digital Television (DTV), which ends on February 17, 2009, the FCC has decided to reallocate some of the upper UHF TV spectrum to other services, such as public safety. As a result, the new “core” TV band will consist of TV channels 2-51(up to 698 MHz).
In addition, the FCC is also studying the possibility of allowing unlicensed devices to use future “unoccupied” TV channels, which policymakers now refer to as the “white spaces“. These unlicensed devices fall into two categories – fixed and portable – and include such items as wireless broadband services, wireless multimedia systems, PDAs, and cordless telephones. Currently, these products operate in other radio frequency bands, such as 2.4 GHz. The FCC’s proposed date for allowing unlicensed devices to operate in the new core TV band is February 17, 2009, in conjunction with completion of the DTV transition.
Congress and the FCC are under intense pressure from major lobbying groups to allow unlicensed devices to use the TV spectrum. Even though wireless microphones would retain their licensed, secondary use status (secondary only to digital television), the white spaces proposal creates a potential for interference to wireless microphones from unlicensed devices. Shure is concerned about this proposal, and in response has mounted a significant effort to explain the issues to the decision makers with the goal of arriving at a workable means for preventing interference to wireless microphones.
Shure has filed several rounds of formal comments with the FCC, and in addition, has met with the FCC on a number of occasions to explore ways to prevent interference. The FCC granted Shure a Part 5 experimental license and a special temporary authorization to conduct interference tests using a simulated wireless broadband signal in the TV band. Shure presented the results of these tests to the FCC and gave live demonstrations to U.S. House and Senate staff members.Shure also assembled a coalition of the industry’s preeminent wireless users and providers to communicate their concerns with the white spaces proposal to key legislators and FCC officers.
Shure is a member of two work groups organized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) -- the world’s leading professional association for the advancement of technology. These groups include the 802.18 Radio Regulatory Technical Advisory Group (RR-TAG) and the 802.22 Wireless Regional Area Network (WRAN) group. The WRAN group is developing a standard for unlicensed wireless broadband in the TV spectrum. Shure joined these groups to help represent the interests of incumbent TV spectrum users and to develop a standard that will help prevent interference to wireless microphones.
Currently, U.S. Senators Kerry and Sununu have drafted legislation that would force the FCC to shorten its timeline for allowing unlicensed devices to operate in the TV bands. The FCC, IEEE, and other industry technology leaders have stated that adequate time must be allowed to develop solutions that will permit unlicensed devices to operate without causing harmful interference to current users of the TV spectrum, including wireless microphones. In the form of comments to the FCCand correspondence with Congressional representatives, support for this position has come from other wireless microphone manufacturers, the broadcast, theater and live sound production community, audio equipment retailers and integrators, houses of worship, and end users at various technical levels.
Shure encourages all parties interested in the continued successful operation of wireless microphones, personal monitors, intercoms and IFB devices to state their position with decision makers in Washington, D.C. To assist in this effort, please seeinstructions for filing formal and informal commentswith the FCC. Direct written communication to U.S. House and Senate representatives is also encouraged.
For specific inquiries on the white spaces initiative, please contact Shure at whitespacesinfo@shure.com