Members of the Wireless Innovation Alliance are focusing on the vast potential of unleashing the spectrum between television stations for broadband and other devices. NAB’s David Rehr has explained to Congress that the reason for focusing on what might be is that there is no current capability to do so, since WIA prototypes have thus far failed every FCC test.
"For more than a year, these companies have tried to convince the FCC and members of Congress that they can make devices that will not cause interference to broadcasters, wireless microphone users and other parties that currently use this spectrum," wrote Rehr. "Unfortunately, based upon the results of FCC testing to date, their technical prowess does not match their rhetoric.” He said that the WIA PR focus is on what might be and away from engineering failures. "They would rather you focus on the unrealized benefits of these theoretical, unproven devices rather than the legitimate interference these devices cause to televisions and wireless microphones."
RBR/TVBR observation: There is natural lag time in Washington, and there is simply no telling how much farther into the future the WIA finish line is pushed with each test failure. We’ve been asking that this whole issue be tabled until the DTV transition is completed. In fact, the series of flunked tests is having that effect with no policymaking intervention required.
