More Southern Lawmakers Urge Caution on White Space

Four U.S. Representatives from South Carolina recently have been added to the list of lawmakers urging the FCC use caution in establishing rules for so-called white space devices that would operate in unused DTV channels.

By NAB’s count, 69 lawmakers have weighed in on the side of caution in letters to the FCC.

The South Carolina crew, Rep. Joe Wilson (R), John Spratt (D), J. Gresham Barrett (R) and Henry E. Brown (R), follows Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and most of the North Carolina and Georgia delegations in expressing their concerns.

“As we move forward, we ask you to refrain from permitting the use of portable, unlicensed white spaces devices until it is proven that this technology will not interfere with existing signals, that there be an enforceable method put in place to resolve any interference that does occur, and that the spectrum used by these devices would be available in the future should we ever have the need to repurpose it,” the lawmakers wrote. “We would also encourage you to explore other methods of allocating this spectrum.”