Microsoft is disputing the FCC’s recent findings that their prototype either interfered with TV signals or could not detect them, reports the Washington Post.
Microsoft said the scanner in of one two prototypes submitted was damaged and “operated at a severely degraded level.” The scanner in the wireless device is supposed to sniff for broadcasts in spectrum before transmitting in the band and switch to another band if the first one is occupied. The FCC found that the prototype did not consistently detect TV broadcast signals and could cause interference. Microsoft’s first prototype was defective, said the company, but the but another model worked successfully in a demonstration it gave to the FCC last week.
Two weeks ago, FCC engineers found that the original prototype caused static on existing broadcasts (see DW FCC: License-free 700MHz Devices Failed Test). The FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology released results of a study on August 2 (pdf) that found portable Relevant Products/Services, unlicensed devices cause interference to television broadcast signals.
The IEEE 802.22 standard aims at constructing Wireless Regional Area Networks utilizing white spaces in the already allocated TV frequency spectrum.
The FCC tested two devices submitted by the White Space Coalition, which includes Microsoft, Google and several other technology companies. The FCC concluded the first prototype was “generally unable” to sense wireless microphones while the second device delivered mixed results.
But the new prototype “reliably detected occupied television channels,” the company said in the filing it plans to submit today. Microsoft also discussed potential improvements to the device to eliminate interference with wireless microphones, such as those used at sports games and concerts.
The FCC plans to hold a meeting Thursday to discuss testing options for white-space devices.
Dennis Wharton, spokesman for the National Association of Broadcasters, an opponent of Microsoft’s plan (pdf), said he is confident the FCC’s report is accurate and that Microsoft’s “self-serving” agenda may jeopardize “America’s access to interference-free television reception.” Charles Rhodes thinks using unused “white spaces” leads to interference.
The NAB and the Association for Maximum Service Television (pdf) don’t pay anything for using VHF and UHF frequencies. It’s a gift from U.S. taxpayers to corporate media for their “public service”.
Dennis Wharton, apparently, believes television frequencies are God’s Gift to the NAB, and doesn’t want to share their $48 billion in annual advertising revenue with anybody. Dozens of video sharing Websites, not withstanding.
The NAB is facing plenty of other challenges — like maintaining their royalty stream with mobile ATSC. Good luck, Dennis — hope you get it to work. Television’s new media competitors probably hope Wharton will join Qualcomm’s lead counsel in the unemployment line.
Chris Sacca, the Head of Special Initiatives at Google, explains some of the trials and tribulations that Google faced while installing its free Wi-Fi network in Google’s hometown of Mountain View, California. Here’s his stock “Dinosaur” speech (MP-3) recorded by IT Conversations.
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