FCC Approves Unlicensed Use of White-Space Spectrum 138
sidesh0w was one of a number of readers to alert us to the FCC's unanimous decision approving unlicensed devices to use the white spaces of the spectrum unused by television broadcasters, provided they take certain precautions not to interfere with licensed users. "Denying a tremendous last-minute lobbying effort by broadcasters, the vote on white space devices went ahead as planned today after a several-hour delay at FCC headquarters. When the vote came, though, it was unanimous. For the Democrats on the Commission, the devices are appealing because they offer a potential new avenue for broadband services, while the Republicans are pleased for the same reasons, but love the fact that this is a deregulatory order that focuses on less regulation and more competition."
Re:Wait. (Score:1, Informative)
Now you have a chance to tell me that running water is a luxury. Go on, i'm waiting...
Re:Great! More interference (Score:4, Informative)
Do you do any research into this subject?
Musician's and production company's have not been ABLE to buy the correct licensing to run the microphones in the first place!
In order to get the permit you have to be a licensed broadcaster or broadcast media creator. Then you can get a permit.
So in a sense the musician's and company's that use these pieces of equipment aren't even able to get the correct licensing by law because of the law.
And as for buying something else. Please tell me where I may buy a Sennheiser EW300G2 IEM system that is in a correct frequency band?? Thats right, they don't make any!
So lets see if I have all your arguments here.
Q. They don't have the licensing
A. They can't get the licensing because of the FCC laws.
Q. Why don't they buy something else?
A. Because their is nothing else.
Please remember next year when your city wants to budget more money for replacing their wireless equipment that they have in any civic center/event center/broadcast center they have, to think back to your answers here.
My quest that I would like to ask is. What becomes of the people that actually were able to get licensing for their units? Is it now tough luck, thanks for playing?
Comment removed (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Great! More interference (Score:5, Informative)
The ones truly getting the shaft in all this are the TV broadcasters. It was always their band, so companies like Sennheiser made the gear for them to use in their own space. Nothing wrong with that. But everyone else went and bought that gear without the right to operate it, and now they feel entitled. And it's not currently made in other frequencies because Sennheiser built it only for their primary customers -- the already licensed users of the spectrum.
They've manufactured perfectly legal equipment for a licensed band, and a bunch of unlicensed users bought it and used it. That hardly makes it legal. So the non-legal users can start licensing some of the commercial UHF frequencies, just like everybody else who needs the exclusive use of RF for some business purpose. And it's going to cost them, and people are going to whine, and all because they suddenly have to pay their fair share. Don't worry if the gear's not there today, because if there's a dollar to be made selling it someone will start making it tomorrow.
Churches and cities can keep using their old, now-legal gear, and now it's official. But they're taking chances with shared spectrum just like anyone else. My city probably won't have the budget for replacement microphones and licensed spectrum, but that doesn't mean their current gear stops working: they just have to hope that some guy with a Fisher-Price baby monitor or a laptop won't start abusing it. But professional entertainers such as singers and NFL commentators will most likely step up and license a frequency because they can't afford to take the chance of some drunk interrupting a live performance with a baby monitor.
Re:Great! More interference (Score:1, Informative)
Actually, you missed part of this issue. The problem was the mobile licenses were limited to the media. Fixed licenses have been available for event centers and such.
That's underused *after* the DTV Transisition... (Score:3, Informative)
See Measuring TV 'White Space' Available for Unlicensed Wireless Broadband [newamerica.net]. Dense urban markets like Boston will have ~30% underused, medium markets like Portland will have ~60%, and rural markets like Fargo will have ~80%.