FCC Proposes Wireless Microphone Ban in the 700-MHz Spectrum

In yet another round in the seemingly endless controversy involving the use of wireless microphones and possible interference with television broadcasting, the Federal Communications Commission has issued a proposal that would ban the use of wireless microphones and other “low power auxiliary stations” in the 700-MHz band after the transition to digital television this coming February. Thus far, there has been little interference between these mikes—which should be, but seemingly never are licensed—and existing analog television broadcasting. This situation could change in February when channels 52 through 69 in the UHF band are vacated by analog broadcasters and turned over to the winners of this year’s spectrum auction, telecom giants such as Verizon as AT&T, which plan to use them for wireless devices. Of course, this proposal leaves unresolved the so-called White Space controversy, the less than stellar non-interference capabilities of prototype devices tested thus far, and complaints of White Space advocates such as the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition that has accused wireless microphone manufacturers of flaunting FCC rules. View the proposal itself online at the FCCwebsite.