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Shure Raises Concerns Over FCC “White Spaces” Decision

FCC allows "white spaces" devices; Shure concerned action opens the door to new breed of wireless gadgetry that relies on unproven technology

Shure Raises Concern Over FCC “White Spaces” Decision

The Federal Communications Commission voted Tuesday (November 4) to allow technology companies like Google, Microsoft, Dell, and Motorola to produce “white spaces” devices that will use the same radio frequency (RF) spectrum now being used by wireless microphone systems.

Final text of the rules is not yet available, but the order is purported to greatly reduce the amount of clear spectrum available for use by professional audio and communications equipment.

The Commission adopted certain important elements of Shure’s recent wireless microphone interference protection plan.

However, Shure is concerned that, despite technical evidence to the contrary, the Commission’s action opens the door to a new breed of wireless gadgetry that relies on unproven technology as a safeguard against interference to wireless microphones.

Shure is also concerned that the Commission did not reserve an appropriate number of channels for flawless operation of wireless microphone equipment and did not address several important issues necessary to ensure a robust geolocation-based database for protection of large scale events, as the company had proposed.

“While not unexpected, today’s FCC decision will greatly complicate the lives of wireless microphone users across the United States and negatively affect tens of millions of Americans listening to live and broadcast events,” said Mark Brunner, Shure’s Senior Director, Global Public and Industry Relations.

“In over four years of activity, including numerous written comments, technical submissions to and meetings with the FCC, Shure has highlighted that wireless microphones, monitor systems, and intercoms are essential production tools in modern music, theater, broadcast, sports, corporate, hotel, convention, education, and house of worship environments.

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