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The FCC on Tuesday set a roadmap for making airwaves between television channels available for other services by early 2009, when broadcasters are due to switch to digital signals.
The agency said it expects to have from its laboratory the results of tests for interference by July 2007 and would set final technical requirements for devices to use those airwaves without an FCC license by October 2007.
The FCC said in a notice it would accept applications for the equipment in December 2007 with the goal of having them on retail store shelves by February 2009, when broadcasters are scheduled to turn off their analog airwaves and broadcast in digital.
Companies such as computer chipmaker Intel have been pressing the FCC to make those airwaves available to be used without a license, while broadcasters have expressed concerns about interference with their signals.
The National Association of Broadcasters praised the FCC road map (Oh-oh).
"We are pleased the FCC has taken the sensible position of ensuring that these devices will be tested rigorously and that no marketplace introduction will occur until after broadcasters complete a successful transition to digital television," said NAB President and Chief Executive Officer David Rehr.
In 2004, the agency proposed creating two categories of users for the airwaves: one for low-power, personal, portable devices like Wi-Fi and a second group for fixed commercial operations.
The charter of IEEE 802.22, the Working Group on Wireless Regional Area Networks ("WRANs"), is to develop a standard for a cognitive radio-based PHY/MAC/air_interface for use by license-exempt devices on a non-interfering basis in the TV Broadcast band. By listening first, before transmitting, and using techniques like GPS location, it is believed that unlicensed devices could use portions of the television band without interference. Power may be limited to 1 watt (basestation) and 100mW (terminal).
The initial application is thought to be in rural areas where low frequencies provide greater range and there are fewer television stations. ArsTechnica notes the US might allow unlicensed use of so-called "white spaces" in the UHF television spectrum. These white spaces are available even in heavily congested urban areas (San Franciso, for instance, has six channels vacant.
Two bills were introduced last year to open up this spectrum up.
- The Wireless Innovation Act, introduced by Senators George Allen (R-VA) and John Kerry (D-MA), directs the FCC to set up rules that would enable unlicensed use of the spectrum between 54Mhz and 698Mhz. The goal of the WINN Act is to increase broadband use rates, especially in rural areas, by making it easier to provide more kinds of Internet service.
"Making this technology available in all corners of our country is good for our families, demonstrates the spirit of American innovation and promotes our success in the global economy," said Kerry in a statement. "
- The competing American Broadband for Communities Act (ABC Act) was introduced by Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) and looks quite similar to the WINN Act, but with different open frequencies, according to the ArsTechnica article. It also directs the FCC to open up "any unused broadcast television spectrum in the band between 72 and 698 megaHertz" which "may be used by unlicensed devices, including wireless broadband devices."
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