Sen. Sununu (R-N.H.) introduced legislation (S-337) to require th...
Sen. Sununu (R-N.H.) introduced legislation (S-337) to require the FCC to complete its white space proceeding by Oct. 1, like a measure by Sen. Kerry (D-Mass.) (S-234). Sununu’s bill requires the FCC to finish its rules within 90 days…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
of the bill’s enactment or Oct. 1, whichever is sooner. It also allows licensing as possibly the best way to make use of the white space spectrum. Eligible frequencies span 54- 698 MHz. “This ensures the maximum flexibility for dealing with future applications or commercial ventures,” Sununu said. Kerry’s bill makes no provision for licensing but would establish technical requirements for unlicensed devices operating in the eligible frequency range to protect incumbent license holders from interference. Kerry’s bill calls for a final order 180 days after enactment or by Oct. 1. Some broadcasters are leery of the white space proceeding because of possible interference. Both bills provide for field testing to evaluate interference, before device certification. White space bill opponents say unlicensed devices can’t be traced if interference problems emerge after testing, making it hard to locate the sources of any problems. The Sununu bill would grant licenses through competitive bidding and ban unlicensed use of frequencies in the market. It also would set up local, regional or national licensing areas. And the bill would prohibit the FCC from imposing its marketing ban on white space technologies.