FCC: White Spaces Test "Well Done and Thorough"
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin tells Congress that engineers report on unlicensed mobile devices was peer reviewed
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/30/2008 3:28:00 AM MT
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has told Congress that the FCC did conduct a peer review of FCC engineers report on white spaces testing, and that it concluded the tests were "well done and thorough."
Martin was responding to a letter from House Energy & Commerce Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.), who had a bunch of questions about the testing, including chiefly whether the FCC had had the report reviewed.
Thatreport concluded that unlicensed mobile devices could be designed to operate in the so-called white spaces between TV channels, despite broadcasters' and others concerns they would interfere with DTV reception and wireless microphones.
Martin told Dingell that he was not sure the report, which "summarizes results of tests conducted in public" required the peer review, but said he had done so "out of an abundance of caution."
According to Martin's response, a copy of which was supplied to B&C from a congressional office, the peer review panel found that: 1) the scope of the testing of spectrum-sensing devices "was appropriate"; 2) the measurement devices used 'were appropriate"; 3) given the limitations of the tests, that the testing of the potential of a device to cause interference to digital TV reception and wireless mikes "was appropriate"; and that 4) the tests were "properly conducted."
At press time, the FCC was still planning to vote Nov. 4 on allowing the unlicensed devices, with the chairman said to be working on locking down a third vote.
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I remember when the tobacco industry tested their products, and concluded that they were good...
Ken English - 2008-3-11 05:43:00 -
So why didn't he say this when the issue first came up a couple of weeks ago? If these tests...
Adam Smith - 2008-30-10 11:28:00
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