Industry, Govt. Committee Paves Way to Sell 5 GHz Devices
NTIA and the FCC said they reached agreement on criteria allowing sale of unlicensed devices operating in the 5 GHz band, exploiting dynamic frequency selection (DFS) technology to permit coexistence between the devices and military radars. The development opens 255 more MHz spectrum to unlicensed use, such as Wi-Fi. Gear makers Cisco, Motorola and Atheros have been pushing for agreement and are expected to be among the first to market with 5 GHz devices.
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“You're going to see 5 GHz devices containing DFS technology in the marketplace by June,” predicted Scott Harris, who has represented high tech companies on the issue. “A number of companies are ready to go and all they really need is to have their equipment certified by the FCC. It will take a couple of months to move from this agreement… to the stage where the FCC is able to certify products, but there will be no bumps in the road.”
“We're pleased with the agreement that we've reached,” a Motorola official said: “It’s certainly a good example of industry, the FCC, NTIA and DoD working together to solve these problems and allow sharing of spectrum.”
DFS “dynamically” tells a transmitter to move to another channel when interference, such as from a radar signal, arises. Devices using DFS also will monitor availability of unobstructed spectrum prior to transmitting. Military radars operate in the 5 GHz band, so the potential for interference raised tempers as FCC and NTIA zeroed in on the feasibility of DFS. Opening 5 GHz to unlicensed use was a priority of U.S. negotiators during the last World Radio Conference.
Accord on test criteria was reached last week by the 5 GHz Working Group of the International Telecommunication Advisory Committee (ITAC), but NTIA took almost a week to get out a statement, sources said. ITAC includes representatives from the FCC, the Defense Dept., NTIA and industry. In Dec. NTIA had success with DFS field tests in Tex. (CD Dec 30 p2), after problems with tests at NTIA’s Boulder, Colo., lab.
“Our landmark agreement on testing criteria for unlicensed devices at the 5 GHz band not only showcases innovative sharing of spectrum between government and non- government users, it also meets a key goal of the President’s initiative on using the nation’s airwaves more efficiently,” said NTIA Dir. Michael Gallagher.