IEEE, INTEL FACE OFF OVER DELAY ON TV WHITE SPACES RULE
The FCC should deny an IEEE 802.18 Radio Regulatory Technical Advisory Group request to extend the comment deadline for a proceeding on the use of the white spaces between TV channels, opponents said. Intel told the Commission a proposed 6-month delay was unnecessary and would hurt the progress of technology. The “white spaces” in the TV spectrum could be used for new services, including broadband wireless.
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But high-tech companies are beginning to rally in support of the FCC Office of Engineering & Technology on its controversial white spaces initiative. On Thurs., the IEEE advisory group said the Commission should delay by 180 days comments, due Sept. 1, and replies, due a month later. “We… strongly believe that the NPRM in this proceeding raises many complex issues and questions that require further technical studies and discussions amongst all of the interested parties in order to develop the consensus necessary to provide both the best possible body of comment and the least potential for contention,” the IEEE group said.
“The discussion can only be enhanced by gaining access to public input, through the comment process, sooner rather than later,” Intel said in reply the next day: “A delay of 180 days will have a negative impact on the public interest as the aforementioned studies would proceed without the benefit of information that could have been revealed months earlier.”
The proposed delay “would significantly harm the public interest,” agreed consultant Kevin Werbach: “It would slow the momentum of the industry in developing technical and business approaches for exploitation of the un-used ‘white space’ in low frequency spectrum bands… It would delay, and perhaps derail, the availability of new unlicensed wireless capacity.”
The spectrum in question, below 1 GHz, has excellent “propagation” characteristics and could help spur development of new wireless data devices and other technologies, Werbach said. He said he plans to file in the proceeding and is worried about unnecessary delays: “This white space proceeding is important because it’s an opportunity to make available new technologies at lower frequencies that could be available to unlicensed activities.” He added that because it will be available for unlicensed use, the FCC “doesn’t have to guess right” and as a result will give consumer electronics makers the chance to new devices and new uses -- such as streaming media in the home.
CEA told the FCC it should move cautiously and consider additional testing prior to release of a final order, in a filing last week. CEA represents both TV manufacturers concerned about interference and the makers of the kinds of communications devices that could benefit from availability of new spectrum. CEA said it also may ask for a delay since it would be “virtually impossible to make reasonable measurements in the comment filing period.”