Auto Industry Opposes Use of 5.9 GHz Band for Maritime Radio
Auto industry groups opposed a waiver request by Kongsberg Seatex seeking to operate maritime broadband radio (MBR) in the 5460-5660 or the 5850-5925 MHz band, saying the devices pose a threat to use of the 5.9 GHz band for anti-crash…
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dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) systems being deployed by automakers. “Kongsberg’s proposal seeks authorization to operate MBR in the DSRC band; however, the Waiver Request provides no reassurance regarding the potential for harmful interference to DSRC,” the groups said. “Kongsberg fails to include any sort of technical study of the issue. Rather, the Waiver Request suggests only that the interference potential between the services is low ‘due to the separation distance that will occur between the systems’ and because MBR uses ‘a power-regulating algorithm ... [that] will secure the lowest power possible for good communication.’” The Association of Global Automakers and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers signed the comments, posted Monday in docket 16-413. The band is already subject of a fight between the auto industry and groups that want to also use it for Wi-Fi. Disagreements remain between automakers and safety groups and Wi-Fi advocates about how the band should be shared and whether safety operations should be restricted to part of the band (see 1605260059). Kongsberg didn’t comment. The Wireless Bureau said in a December notice seeking comment that the MBR is a “real-time, phased array digital radio that operates in the 5 GHz band and offers high-speed reliable data transfer between vessels and structures at sea.” Typical uses include hydrographic surveys and communications with offshore oil and gas operations, the bureau said. Comments were initially due Jan. 20, though that was a federal holiday, replies Feb. 3.