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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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July
10, 2008
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Kristopher
Jones
202-429-5486
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NAB STATEMENT ON FCC'S INITIATION OF
FIELD TESTING FOR 'WHITE SPACE' DEVICES
WASHINGTON,
DC -- NAB released a statement today in response to an
announcement from the Federal Communications Commission concerning
the initiation of 'white space' device field testing.
Commenting
on the FCC announcement, NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton issued
the following statement:
"NAB
has no quarrel with field tests, but based upon multiple failures of unlicensed
devices in laboratory testing thus far, we remain highly skeptical that
this technology will ever work as advertised."
A July
2007 FCC report concluded that sample prototype 'white space' devices
did not accurately detect broadcast signals and caused interference to
TV broadcasting and wireless microphones. That setback was followed by
a February
2008 power failure, in which a Microsoft representative admitted that
their prototype device "just stopped working." In April, another
Microsoft device "unexpectedly
shut down," according to a Microsoft press release.
To
date, 70 lawmakers have expressed concern over the use of unlicensed personal-portable
devices in the broadcast spectrum, including:
About
NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association
for America's broadcasters. As the voice of more than 8,300 radio and
television stations, NAB advances their interests in legislative, regulatory
and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables
broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses
and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.
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