The FCC Aug. 21 proposed prohibiting low-power auxiliary stations, including wireless microphones, from operating in the 700MHz band after the Feb. 17, 2009, DTV transition.
In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order, the commission put forward the idea of prohibiting the manufacture, import, sale or shipment of devices that operate as low-power auxiliary stations in the 700MHz band after the end of the DTV transition.
The move is intended to prevent harmful interference from low-power auxiliary operations, such as those used for wireless microphones, cue and control communications, and synchronization of TV camera signals, to public safety and commercial wireless services in the band.
Of the 943 active low-power auxiliary station licenses, 156 are authorized to operate in the 700MHz band. Of the 156 licenses, most are authorized to operate in other bands as well. Thirty are authorized to operate only in the 614MHz-806MHz band.
After the end of the DTV transition, low-power auxiliary stations would be able to continue operating in additional spectrum bands that allow such operations on a secondary basis.
The order also provided an immediate freeze to new applications for low-power auxiliary station licenses seeking to operate on any 700MHz band frequencies after Feb. 17, 2009.
For more information, visit www.fcc.gov .
