https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-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
    • 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
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event 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

Commentary Newsletters


700 MHz wireless-microphone decision needed soon

700 MHz wireless-microphone decision needed soon

Public-safety organizations and commercial wireless carriers jointly asked the FCC to establish clear rules that would prohibit the use of interfering wireless microphones in the 700 MHz band.
  • Written by Urgent Communications Administrator
  • 14th April 2009

Last week, public-safety organizations and commercial wireless carriers jointly asked the FCC to establish clear rules that would prohibit the use of interfering wireless microphones in the 700 MHz band — spectrum that both first responders and commercial entities have wanted to use for years — in short order.

In the case of public safety, there are some narrowband 700 MHz systems in existence where there are no incumbent television stations. There have not been a lot of interference reports from public-safety systems to date, but there are relatively few of them operating now, and many of those are in locations that are not densely populated.

That user profile is expected to change dramatically after the scheduled completion of the digital television (DTV) transition in June, freeing the 700 MHz spectrum for use by all public-safety licensees throughout the nation, said Robert Gurss, director of legal and government affairs for the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO).

“Our concern is that the number of users is going to dramatically increase, and that’s when you’re going to have problems [with interference from wireless microphones],” Gurss said during an interview with Urgent Communications.

Following directions from Congress, the FCC largely has avoided taking action on matters that are not part of the DTV transition. But Gurss noted that the wireless-microphone issue does relate to the DTV transition, a significant part of which is to deliver usable spectrum to public-safety and commercial licensees.

Without FCC action establishing clear rules that wireless microphones cannot interfere with primary users, disruptions to public-safety and commercial wireless transmissions in the 700 MHz band are “inevitable,” according to the joint letter from three public-safety organizations and CTIA, the trade association for commercial wireless carriers.

In addition, such a situation would not be good for the users of the wireless microphones operating at 700 MHz, Gurss said.

“There’s probably at least as much chance that we’re going to interfere with them as they’re going to interfere with us,” he said.

Even if the FCC passes rules prohibiting wireless-microphone interference in the 700 MHz band, actually clearing the devices from the band promises to be difficult. The vast majority of wireless-microphone users — businesses, schools, community theaters and social organizations, for example — do not notify the FCC of their use. Many may not be aware what frequency the microphones use, and few would realize that the FCC passing a rule on this matter would affect them.

With this in mind, Gurss said local fire and building inspectors could ask about wireless-microphone usage as part of their normal inspections, and the matter could be included in the considerable community education conducted by firefighting agencies. Such an approach to deliver the message could be effective, but it will take quite a bit of time.

Of course, before that process can start, there needs to be a message that can be delivered. That’s why public-safety and commercial wireless carriers want the FCC to act on the matter quickly, so such grassroots efforts have time to spread the word of the rule.

“It’s only going to be effective if there is a very clear FCC mandate that [inspectors] can wave around,” Gurss said.

Hopefully, the FCC will recognize this and act quickly to address the wireless-microphone issue.

What do you think? Tell us in the comment box below.

Tags: Commentary Newsletters Policy & Law Commentary

Most Recent


  • LTE and liability: Why the fire service must move forward with digital incident command
    The grief following a firefighter line-of-duty death (LODD) is beyond words. Fellow firefighters are devastated. Families are shattered. In the aftermath, questions arise about the circumstances: Was the loss preventable? What was the chain of actions leading to the catastrophe? Central to these questions is the role of incident command (IC), the command’s situational awareness, […]
  • Partnership and collaboration must be the foundation for emergency communications
    I’m from a little town in West Texas. As a Texan, I like getting straight to the point: I believe that emergency communications are a matter of national security. Because this message is so important, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has designated this April as the first-ever Emergency Communications Month. At CISA, we […]
  • FirstNet success means no hypothetical 'shots' need to be fired, Swenson says
    As public-safety officials today commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the FirstNet Authority being created, the deployment of the FirstNet nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) has proceeded well enough that no one needs to face a firing squad, according to former Authority board Chair Sue Swenson. “Save it for another time,” Swenson said during a recent […]
  • Show support for law enforcement on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
    This coming Sunday, January 9th, is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day—a well-deserved day to thank and show support to law-enforcement officers for their dedication to duty and service to their local communities, as well as protecting the people who live and work in the communities. On behalf of L3Harris, a Florida-based company that provides critical […]

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

  • Unfinished Business: Why NFPA and IBC fire codes need to kill the fire phone
  • Unlocking the power of ESInets: Different NG911 provisioning approaches exist; level of control is key differentiator
  • Redefining communications for today’s mobile workforces
  • Bridging digital divide by fostering digital inclusion and economic recovery

Commentary


LTE and liability: Why the fire service must move forward with digital incident command

  • 2
6th May 2022

Partnership and collaboration must be the foundation for emergency communications

18th April 2022

FirstNet success means no hypothetical ‘shots’ need to be fired, Swenson says

22nd February 2022
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

Newscan: Verizon counts 5.1 million first-responder subs; AT&T has 3.7 million dlvr.it/SW84Gv

6th August 2022
UrgentComm

Taiwan crisis another blow to the supply chain dlvr.it/SW7GSs

5th August 2022
UrgentComm

Motorola Solutions seeks contempt finding, global injunction against Hytera for not paying royalty dlvr.it/SW6Ldm

5th August 2022
UrgentComm

Humanoid robot explores shipwrecks dlvr.it/SW36fy

4th August 2022
UrgentComm

How IT teams can use ‘harm reduction’ for better cybersecurity outcomes dlvr.it/SW32rd

4th August 2022
UrgentComm

Increase in emergency-response time caused by insufficient staffing, traffic congestion dlvr.it/SW16zp

3rd August 2022
UrgentComm

Tepid demand, taxation fears drag at 2.5GHz spectrum auction for 5G dlvr.it/SW15Yt

3rd August 2022
UrgentComm

Newscan: Cyberattacks against critical infrastructure quietly increase dlvr.it/SVxr3P

2nd August 2022

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
  • 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 © 2022 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