CEDAR RAPIDS, IA, August 21, 2008 — In a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, NSCA Executive Director Chuck Wilson expressed concern regarding white spaces proceedings and new television bandwidth devices.
“Our members are alarmed by preliminary public reports about the FCC's inconsistent sensing results,” Wilson said. “These inconsistent field tests present a very serious reliability issue that will impact our members and their ability to do business.”
Early reports indicate mixed results in the field. Some suggest that low-power wireless devices may interfere with the DTV spectrum. Supporters of these prototype white-space devices – which include laptops and smart radios – are vying to share the unused, or “white spaces,” portion of the television spectrum. The FCC is conducting tests to ensure these devices don't interfere with digital reception.
As recently as August 9, the FCC conducted a test of white spaces devices before and during a Buffalo Bills-Washington Redskins game in Washington D.C. The results showed that the prototypes did not accurately sense wireless microphone signals, a function that would be required to prevent interference.
Because NSCA members design, install and maintain sophisticated integrated A/V, security and communication systems for a wide variety of venues, wireless components play a critical role in system design and functionality.
Wilson urged the FCC to conduct further field testing to ensure consistent and reliable results using a diverse array of usage environments.
For more information, please contact Director of Government Affairs and Industry Outreach, Cathy Mrosko at 1.800.446.6722.
About NSCA
NSCA is the leading not-for-profit association representing the commercial electronic systems industry. With more than 2,500 member companies worldwide, the National Systems Contractors Association is a powerful advocate of all who work within the low-voltage industry, including systems contractors/integrators, product manufacturers, consultants, sales representatives, architects, specifying engineers and other allied professionals. NSCA is dedicated to serving contractor members and all channel
stakeholders through education, advocacy, outreach and member services. NSCA University offers a variety of courses on topics such as project management, business, sales, design and technical knowledge. Courses are delivered through a variety of methods including conferences, regional trainings, online learning and webinars. NSCA works in conjunction with a variety of industry partners to provide relevant and meaningful education and certification programs. It also provides leading industry research and market intelligence, insurance solutions, the industry's most comprehensive manual of practice, Essentials of Systems Integrationâ„¢ and other business tools. For more information, visit www.nsca.org.
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