FCC to conduct further white-space testing

The Federal Communications Commission said it will conduct further testing on the viability of Wi-Fi and other low-power wireless applications in unoccupied TV broadcast spectrum known as white spaces.
The agency’s action appears to benefit high-tech companies that urged additional testing after the FCC found a signal-sensing Microsoft Corp. prototype caused interference to TV frequencies in August, an outcome white-space proponents attributed to a defective device. Though a Philips Electronics N.V. device passed muster in the first round of FCC testing, broadcasters seized on the failure of the Microsoft prototype as evidence that the commission should not authorize use of TV white spaces this fall.
Microsoft and Philips Electronics recently submitted to the FCC new field-test results they claim prove Wi-Fi and other unlicensed devices can work in white spaces without disrupting digital TV transmissions. Broadcasters responded by disputing the validity of the data and accusing high-tech firms of misrepresenting findings to agency engineers. High-tech firms claim TV broadcasters are using scare tactics to kill commercial exploitation of white spaces.
White-space lobbying is led by a coalition that includes Microsoft, Philips, Google Inc., Dell Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., Intel Corp. and Palm Corp.
But the tech and telcom sectors are not unified on how the FCC should craft technical rules for Wi-Fi and other services in white spaces. Motorola Inc. has proposed combining cognitive radio technology with a geolocation database to determine which channel would yield the highest performance without causing interference to TV broadcast operations. Motorola demonstrated its solution to FCC engineers in late August.
Cisco Systems Inc. last week urged federal regulators to rigorously scrutinize technical requirements for using white spaces. “We are interested in assuring a satisfactory technical resolution of these important interference issues because we do not want to introduce harmful interference to cable set top boxes manufactured by our Scientific-Atlanta subsidiary in a way that would degrade the viewing experience of cable consumers,” Cisco told the FCC.
More FCC white-space testing could push back a ruling until November or December.
If approved, retail marketing of white-spaces wireless devices would begin in early 2009, when broadcasters surrender spectrum under a congressional deadline tied to the analog-to-digital TV transition process.