Both Sides Declare Victory After FCC Changes UWB Testing Rules
Both sides in the often bitter ultra wideband debate -- proponents of MultiBand OFDM technology and Motorola spinoff Freescale -- said Thurs.’s FCC decision revising UWB testing rules was good for UWB device makers as they start to build a market, with some of the first consumer devices possibly on shelves before Christmas.
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“The govt.’s positive finding effectively clears the way for deployment of advanced MultiBand OFDM UWB technology, which offers significant advantages over other UWB systems,” said Alereon, one of the companies proposing that standard. The MultiBand OFDM Alliance Special Interest Group had asked for the change. Other members include industry heavy hitters as Intel and Texas Instruments.
Meanwhile, Freescale officials said on a conference call the FCC changed rules in a way favorable to their UWB technology. Martin Rofheart, dir.-UWB operations for Freescale, said companies that will manufacture a consumer electronics version of its chipset should still be on track to have product in the stores this year.
“The waiver allows [Freescale] to deliver 4 times more data and 4 times lower power consumption or twice the range as initially expected,” Rofheart said, adding Freescale was pleased with the FCC’s approach in the order. “We asked them for a technology neutral, organizational neutral view and they have done exactly that.”
The order waives the existing measurement protocol, “permitting emissions from UWB transmitters to be determined with the transmitter operating normally,” the Commission said. According to the Commission, the investigations of the petitioners and others have shown that measuring in this manner “does not result in increased interference potential to the licensed services.”
The previous rules “appear to have been impeding the ability of UWB to develop new products and services,” said Comr. Abernathy. “I think the flexibility of design of UWB products is of the utmost importance as we try to roll out many of these services,” she said.
Comr. Copps commended the “forward looking technology,” but reiterated his concern that “we redouble our efforts to investigate and enforce interference infractions” across all areas, so as not to let interference “undermine the efforts of entrepreneurs.”
“I think this is another creepy-crawler technology that packs a mighty sting. We are looking forward to the day without chords and this is one of those technologies that really holds that promise,” Chmn. Powell said.