CTIA, Public Safety Seek Quick FCC Action on Wireless Mics
Leading public safety groups joined with the wireless industry in a letter to the FCC Monday asking for prompt action concerning interference that could be caused by wireless microphones still on the 700 MHz band, as public safety and carriers start to make use of the band. The CTIA, APCO, the National Emergency Number Association and the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council signed the letter to acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps.
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Wireless carriers hope the FCC will take up the matter in coming weeks, under Copps. “I hope that this will be part of the consensus agenda,” a wireless industry official said Monday. “The longer the time before the commission acts, the greater the problem becomes.”
Copps may not circulate a formal “consensus agenda” to his colleagues laying out items that the commission can act on before the Senate confirms a permanent chairman, FCC officials said Monday. An agenda of this kind would include mostly items that aren’t divisive. Copps is still looking with the two other commissioners for matters they agree on, especially items involving the DTV transition and broadband deployment.
“Harmful interference from unauthorized low-power devices operating in the 700 MHz band threatens to prevent licensees from realizing the benefits to public safety that the 700 MHz band promises,” the letter said. “We understand that there is an item currently before the Commission to address low-power devices in the 700 MHz band and urge you to take action to curb the harmful use of these low-power devices.”
The issue deserves quick attention, the groups said. “Delay in action by the Commission only will make this situation worse,” they said. “By acting now, the Commission can limit the scope of unauthorized users that must be relocated, and prevent unwitting consumers from purchasing products that ultimately will be unusable.” Delay or inaction “will cause the interference concerns to become more acute as public safety and commercial users begin deploying systems in the 700 MHz band and must face additional unauthorized users,” they said.