White Space Tests Struggle On Third DownDevices fail to detect & avoid signals at NFL game... ( old news - 08:59AM Tuesday Aug 12 2008) tags: business · wireless · alternatives · networkingTipped by LiamJunket  The FCC recently announced (pdf) they've started field testing of "white space" broadband devices. The technology uses white space spectrum -- partially freed by the migration to digital television -- to offer un-served consumers inexpensive (theoretically) Internet access via the airwaves. The majority of testing is being conducted in the Maryland suburbs, but tests also occurred last weekend at a preseason NFL game to determine whether the devices could detect and avoid wireless signals. One microphone vendor says they couldn't: "Simply stated, the prototype devices were unable to consistently identify operating wireless microphones or distinguish occupied from unoccupied TV channels," said Mark Brunner, Shure's senior director of public and industry relations. "More troubling, the devices failed to detect the presence of wireless microphones when switched on--an occurrence that takes place multiple times during any NFL game." However, there's different types of white space devices from different vendors, and a few avoid nearby spectrum differently. Motorola instead uses GPS-based geo-location technology and an FCC database of known spectrum license holders to steer clear of used spectrum. Results from the FCC's tests should be released in a few weeks.
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LiamJunket
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Ocean City, NJ
 ·Comcast
1 edit | Re: It's called the scientific method said by Matt :While it sucks they didn't get it right on the first few tries, I have confidence the devices will work. I question the amount of bandwidth they'll be able to deliver and I have a hard time containing my laughter when the word "free" is thrown around by the companies behind these devices. Google is the one always using the FREE comments. But of course Google will claim that, since all their money comes from ads. If they really wanted free, they would quit preaching and get in to offering the wireless service themselves instead of berating Verizon Wireless, AT&T, etc for not offering a free service.
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Matt
Quitting Caffeine - Argh
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join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
 ·North State Commun..
| Re: It's called the scientific method said by LiamJunket :If they really wanted free, they would quit preaching and get in to offering the wireless service themselves instead of berating Verizon Wireless, AT&T, etc for not offering a free service. I can't help but agree with that. Just like any other business, Google wants someone ELSE to pay for it. | |
| | | | viperlmw
Premium
join:2005-01-25
·Qwest.net
| Re: It's called the scientific method said by Matt :said by LiamJunket :If they really wanted free, they would quit preaching and get in to offering the wireless service themselves instead of berating Verizon Wireless, AT&T, etc for not offering a free service. I can't help but agree with that. Just like any other business, Google wants someone ELSE to pay for it. Aw, comeon, I thought Google was going to save the world! | |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
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join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·Cox HSI
·AT&T Southwest
| My understanding is the reason it's called "free" bandwidth is because it's available, unlicensed spectrum. As in "free" from having to buy it off the Government.
It's not un-used spectrum, more like "wasted spectrum". The idea behind white noise devices is that they find and use the "spaces" between the transmissions being used by others.
IE, it's a design to improve spectrum efficiency. It has a lot of promise, but they need to work on it obviously due to the complexities of interference and not disrupting existing communications in said spectrum.
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) | |
| dandin1
join:2008-05-27 | Bias. "One microphone vendor says they couldn't"
Er, it'll be news when the FCC announces they couldn't stop the devices from interfering with liscenced mics. The microphone vendors were saying that before the tests even began! | |
| PDXPLT
join:2003-12-04
Banks, OR
| So What?? Personal/portable white space devices would be very low power, and only able to cause interference if they were close by. NFL stadiums could simply prohibit them on the property - just like they prohibit other things from being borught into the stadium. This is no different than cell phones being prohibited in hospital cardiac care units, or WiFi on airplanes.
What Shure is really worried about is that they know that >90% of their TV Band wireless microphone products are not being used by licensees entitled to use them (like football TV program producers), but are in fact being used illegally by unlicensed users in places like night clubs and churches. Shure has been fine with selling these into the retail channel, where any idiot would know they would wind up in the hands of unlicensed people, to be used illegally. Illegally used microphones would have no protection from the FCC against interference from white space devices. That scares Shure and the other microphone vendors; 90% of their business, built on illegal activity, would be affected | |
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It's called the scientific method