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Aug. 13, 2008

Even as the Federal Communications Commission continues to test drive White Space technology, the wireless companies that are involved are jockeying to brush off the report that the FCC has yet to draft on that new technology.

Shure Inc., a U.S. microphone manufacturer with more than 50 years in the business, said that a test last week to evaluate interference with wireless microphones was a failure.

A spokesperson for Shure said “the prototype test devices we used were unable to consistently identify operating wireless microphones or distinguish occupied from unoccupied TV channels. More troubling, the devices completely failed to detect the presence of wireless microphones when switched on – an occurrence that takes place multiple times during any NFL game."

Meanwhile, and up to this date, Motorola has been public about its satisfaction with its equipment, and Verizon continues its rather loud campaign in opposition to the technology.

On Aug. 9, the FCC conducted a test to see if White Space technology could detect the presence of wireless microphone signals and actively avoid interference. The test was conducted during a pre-season NFL game between the Bills and Redskins.

Overall, White Space wireless systems aim to use unlicensed spectrum between broadcast television channels. For its part, the FCC is wrapping up a whole month’s worth of testing to assure that these systems will not interfere with existing wireless systems.

The Shure Inc. spokesperson continued “given the poor performance of these sensing devices, there is no reason for us to believe that the other proposed protections, such as beacons, will be any more capable of providing reliable and robust interference protection to wireless microphone transmissions. These tests reveal fundamental deficiencies of sensing devices – issues that cannot be pushed off with a promise to resolve these problems at some later time during certification testing.”

The strong concern about the use of White Space has long centered on interference with broadcast signals and wireless microphones. However, Verizon is now tossing in concerns about interference with mobile phones.

And if that objection doesn’t work, Verizon will be opposing the scheme on the general principle that wireless competitors should have to use licensed spectrum any way.

For its part, Motorola has provided several interviews in other media venues expressing great satisfaction with its system, and the extensive testing it has done since March. Motorola's system uses geographical information associated with a White Space user device, evaluates what wireless systems are in use in the area, and configures the transmitter to emit a signal that avoids interference.

It will be interesting to see how all of this pans out, considering the amount of work and extensive testing Motorola has already put into its new thechnology, and considering Verizon's strong opposition to it.

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Source: Motorola.