https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Events
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • Microwave/RF
    • T&D World
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Events
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • WHY ATTEND
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Registration Opens April 2019-Join Our Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

Policy


FCC OKs unlicensed use of TV white spaces

FCC OKs unlicensed use of TV white spaces

FCC commissioners Tuesday voted to open the spectral white spaces between broadcast television channels for unlicensed use by devices utilizing geo-location solutions as the foundation for avoiding interference with incumbent users in the band.
  • Written by Urgent Communications Administrator
  • 6th November 2008

FCC commissioners Tuesday voted to open the spectral white spaces between broadcast television channels for unlicensed use by devices utilizing geo-location solutions as the foundation for avoiding interference with incumbent users in the band.

Many white-spaces proponents argued that sensing technology had advanced enough that devices could be manufactured to determine whether a television station or a wireless microphone was being used on the frequency. However, FCC testing determined that sensing-only devices are not yet completely reliable at the moment.

“Our testing has shown that this [sensing-only] approach, right now, is not ready for prime time,” FCC Commissioner Michael Copps said during the FCC’s open meeting, which was webcast.

Instead, the commission approved devices using geo-location—a solution advocated by Motorola that incorporates GPS location technology with a database of broadcast TV stations’ coverage area to ensure that the device does not interfere with those channels—in the short term. While the FCC did not close the door to sensing-only devices, such devices would be subject to a “vigorous, public, proof-of-performance process,” FCC Chairman Kevin Martin during the meeting.

All FCC commissioners voted in favor of the item, although Commissioner Deborah Tate dissented in part. Tate expressed concern that the new rules do not include the legal responsibilities of those who create interference and noted that she believes at least part of the TV white spaces should be reserved for licensed use.

After the bulk of the spectrum in the last two FCC auctions—the AWS auction and the 700 MHz auction—was secured by incumbent wireless carriers, many industry observers expressed the belief that the commission needed to open the TV white spaces to unlicensed use to foster greater innovation and competition in the broadband wireless arena.

While the unlicensed band at 2.4 GHz has proven to be successful in the introduction of technologies such as Wi-Fi to the marketplace, the propagation characteristics at 2.4 GHz make it economically impractical to deploy wide-area networks using the technology except in dense urban environments. By using white-spaces spectrum below 700 MHz, “Wi-Fi on steroids” technologies can provide longer-range solutions—particularly in rural areas, where there is more white-spaces spectrum available for use.

“Our deregulatory order will allow the marketplace to produce new devices and new applications that we can’t even imagine today,” FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell said during the meeting. “Not only will the lives of millions of Americans be enriched by these new technologies, but I am confident that imaginative use of the TV white spaces could actually improve our safety, as well.”

Most public-safety officials have expressed skepticism that they would use unlicensed devices for their communications needs, particularly in the near term. However, many have viewed an unlicensed regime in the white spaces as an ideal test bed for new technologies that could lead to advancements in software-defined and cognitive radio that could prove valuable to the first-responder community.

Tags: content Policy

Related


  • Unlocking the power of ESInets: Different NG911 provisioning approaches exist; level of control is key differentiator
    Next-generation 911 (NG911) systems represent a quantum leap forward for the public-safety community and the citizens that it serves. Internet Protocol (IP)-based and broadband-enabled, such systems are capable of considerably more than legacy 911 systems, which is why many emergency communications centers (ECCs) from coast to coast are clamoring to implement them. The broadband capabilities […]
  • Biden's $100 billion broadband plan raises four big questions
    After much discussion, President Biden finally released the general outlines of his $2 trillion infrastructure plan, of which $100 billion will be devoted to broadband services. Whether Biden will be able to get his proposal through Congress remains to be seen. But if he is successful, his proposal could dramatically alter the contours of the US broadband […]
  • Newscan: Satellite-technology revolution means there are swarms of spacecraft in orbit
    Newscan: Satellite-technology revolution means there are swarms of spacecraft in orbit
    Web Roundup Items from other news organizations The revolution in satellite technology means there are swarms of spacecraft no bigger than a loaf of bread in orbit Democrats win crucial tool to enact Biden’s plans, including infrastructure 911 Saves Act reintroduced in U.S. House Large Florida school district hit by ransomware attack LG is quitting […]
  • Broadband expansion part of American Jobs Plan to rebuild country's infrastructure
    President Joseph Biden has announced his bold plans to rebuild America’s infrastructure. Part of the $2 trillion American Jobs Plan is $100 billion to revitalize the country’s digital infrastructure, including improving high-speed broadband to reach 100-percent coverage. In releasing the plan, the White House stated that broadband internet is the new electricity. “It is necessary […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

To leave a comment login with your Urgent Comms account:

Log in with your Urgent Comms account

Or alternatively provide your name, email address below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • What we know (and don't know) so far about the 'Supernova' SolarWinds attack
  • Biden's big infrastructure plan targets broadband access, puts subsidy programs on notice
  • AT&T launches 5G services for FirstNet subscribers in parts of 38 cities, 20+ venues
  • Newscan: Virginia State Police admit—after repeated denials—they used controversial facial-recognition app

Commentary


Unlocking the power of ESInets: Different NG911 provisioning approaches exist; level of control is key differentiator

7th April 2021

Ransomware? Let’s call it what it really is: extortionware

21st February 2021

Redefining communications for today’s mobile workforces

18th February 2021
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • Microwave/RF
  • T&D World
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X