Audio Engineering Society
Chicago
Meeting Review, October 23, 2007
|
10/23/07
Meeting Highlights on
the unfolding issue of �white spaces,� which refers to the allocation of
television spectrum following
the digital TV transition scheduled for February 2009. Their presentation,
titled �White
Spaces � Unlicensed Devices in the TV Spectrum,� described the various
proposed deployment
options, identified key industry players and lobby groups, and explained some
of the steps
Shure has taken to ensure that the needs of wireless microphone users are
considered in any new
legislation. Ahren Hartman is Director of Platform Planning at Shure, and
Mark Brunner is Director of Public and Industry Relations. Those
in favor of opening the unused spectrum for broadband use include high-tech manufacturing
and software companies, as well as congressional representatives of rural
areas which
tend to be underserved in terms of broadband deployment. These groups argue that allowing
unlicensed, personal devices into the spectrum will spur technological
innovation and provide
economic benefits. On the other side of the debate are the �incumbents,� that
is to say, the
users of wireless microphones and other devices which already operate in the
unused spectrum.
These groups, which include broadcasters, professional sports associations,
and congressional
representatives of areas such as unlicensed
devices must be proven to work without disrupting existing services before
they can be
allowed into the spectrum. The FCC has tested several new interference
protection technologies, but to date none of these have proved to be acceptable. Shure
has been active in microphone
usage. It has assisted in mobilizing live sound companies, theaters, houses
of worship,
and other user groups to voice their concerns to local representatives. Shure
continues to
work constructively with the FCC in providing recommendations aimed at
protecting existing wireless microphone users. |
