Broadcasters challenge FCC 'white space' report

The National Association of Broadcasters has filed an emergency petition with the Federal Communications Commission in an effort to change the agency's mind about supporting the use of "white space" spectrum.

The NAB, which has opposed the use of "white space" spectrum, said in a statement that it has filed a request for the commission to take public comments on a report that the FCC issued earlier this week stating that this spectrum could be opened up for unlicensed use without interfering with licensed spectrum holders. The report said that geolocation and sensing technologies were adequate in preventing interference. The FCC is set to vote on a proposal to open up this spectrum during its November 4 open meeting.

The NAB filed its request in conjunction with the Disney's ABC, CBS, General Electric's NBC, News Corp.'s Fox and other broadcasters.

"White spaces" are slivers of unused spectrum that sit between licensed broadcast channels in the 150MHz to 700MHz spectrum bands. The FCC tested several proof-of-concept devices this summer to see if companies can develop products that could use this spectrum without interfering with licensed spectrum services in these bands.

In a report released earlier this week, the commission's Office of Engineering Technology said that devices with geolocation and sensing technologies could be used without interference.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said this week that he will submit a proposal for the rest of the commissioners to vote on that would open up white spaces for unlicensed use. Several technology companies, including Motorola, Microsoft, and Google have been lobbying the FCC for more than a year to open up these channels, which would provide between 300MHz and 400MHz of unlicensed spectral capacity throughout the country that could be used by anyone.

These technology companies believe this spectrum, which is ideal for sending data wirelessly over long distances and penetrating through walls, can be used to enhance or create new wireless broadband services. And they say they can develop products and services that use this spectrum without interfering with services running on licensed spectrum in adjacent bands.

But incumbent spectrum license holders, such as TV broadcasters and cell phone operators, say wireless devices that access this unlicensed spectrum will cause interference in the neighboring spectrum bands.

The NAB said that the FCC's own report contradicts claims that devices using white space spectrum do not interfere with services using adjacent spectrum channels.

[hhandyman]

No wonder Broadcasters want to kill the use of airwaves they don't want competition so this huge lobby group is trying to keep their profit margin up clearly a conflict with the Owners of the white space, the American Voter and Citizens of the USA. Just like they killed off lots of low power broadcasters. its time Corporate broadcasting learned that when they don't fulfill their job its time to have otherss do live local broadcasts that actually fulfill the charge of all broadcasters to fulfill the Public serve of their listeners and not multi cast a single signal from remote areas. or leave a dead carrier on air and kill the ability for near by stations to fulfill the needs.

[mattumanu]

Hhandyman, a Geolocator is NOT a broadcast device... What's wrong with you? People today jump to stupid conclusions like this all the time.

The "white spaces" were put there by earlier iterations of the FCC to PREVENT interference between between adjacent frequencies. The problem with the FCC proposal is that, during the transition to Digital Broadcasting, they are about to introduce interference in these White spaces that can not only interfere, but also disrupt the digital signals in between those frequencies.

You jumped to the conclusion that someone could use the white spaces for alternative broadcasting, but read this carefully: There isn't a radio or television out there that could pick up said broadcast because their digital tuners are set to lock onto the official FCC licensed frequencies while ignoring the "white spaces".

Do you get that? It means that your post was flat out stupid.

[DjornNorthfield]

First of all, the transition to Digital Broadcasting is something that is already happening it has been in the works since 2002, when the FCC first announced that by 2004 all TVs over 36" must have digital tuners, and that all TVs needed to have the new tuners by 2007. The switch to digital broadcasting isn't what is at issue in this article.

You wouldn't be using your radio or t.v. to tune into the white space... Google and their associates have been developing modems that would utilize the whitespace to distribute internet access at broadband speeds across the country, for free from what I gather (the more people online, the more people to advertise to)... That is why broadcasting companies are shaking in their boots. who would want to pay for cable or satellite t.v. when you can just go online and watch your favorite shows on the net for free? With advances in technology we can transmit data more precisely to prevent interference with neighboring frequencies. Google tried to get the FCC to let them do this before, they had to develop a proof-of-concept prototype and revise several proposals before they could get FCC approval, which they are still waiting for.

You really should click on the links in the article and "follow the rabbit hole" for a bit before you start calling people out and looking like a mean jerk.

[whitespaceman]

The 150MHz to 700MHz spectrum is ideal for wireless Internet because of its speed, range and penetration that the signals within it can achieve. The potential opportunity for public access to this spectrum is immense and should probably not be hindered by the same primitive methods of transmission that we have been using for last 70 years. Maybe it's time for the Broadcast companies to politely move there big spectrum butts onto the Internet and leave the space to the public. There shouldn't be any technological hurdles in the way of creating some sort of box that can receive television signals over TCP/IP . Its time the public demanded the FCC do what's best for them and not for the Broadcasters.

[whitespaceman]

The 150MHz to 700MHz spectrum is ideal for wireless Internet because of its speed, range and penetration that the signals within it can achieve. The potential opportunity for public access to this spectrum is immense and should probably not be hindered by the same primitive methods of transmission that we have been using for last 70 years. Maybe it's time for the Broadcast companies to politely move there big spectrum butts onto the Internet and leave the space to the public. There shouldn't be any technological hurdles in the way of creating some sort of box that can receive television signals over TCP/IP . Its time the public demanded the FCC do what's best for them and not what's best for the Broadcasters.