On Feb. 6, Shure counsel Bingham McCutchen led a group of microphone manufacturers, top frequency coordinators and broadcast network representatives to Washington, DC to meet with some FCC Commissioners and the Incentive Auction Task Force — essentially those working on FCC guidelines regarding the proposed sale of the 600 MHz band, currently slated for mid-2015.
In addition to the manufacturer representatives pictured here — from left, Joe Ciaudelli, Sennheiser; Jackie Green, Audio-Technica; Mark Brunner, Shure; and Karl Winkler of Lectrosonics, the contingent representing production industry interests included Roger Charlesworth, DTV Audio Group; Susan Fox, The Walt Disney Company; Henry Cohen, CP Communications; Amy Klein and Jeffrey Willis of ESPN; Peter Larsson, Broadcast Sports, Inc.; Louis Libin, Broad Comm, Inc.; Kevin Parrish, NBC Network News; and Brooks Schroeder of Frequency Coordination Group, LLC.
During the meeting, the group raised issues relating to the current and future regulation and operation of wireless systems in the pro audio context. Among the points of discussion were acknowledging the growing public demand for more sophisticated, complex professional productions in entertainment, news, sports and business that require increasing use of wireless microphone technology.
Aside from stressing the critical importance of the UHF band in pro wireless microphone operations, another point brought up was that today, pro users and RF coordinators face serious shortages of UHF spectrum needed to support live events — and any loss of spectrum would worsen that situation.
The group also emphasized to the FCC representatives that the pro audio manufacturing and user community has diligently responded to the continuing shrinkage of clear spectrum and growing demand for more wireless mic use. Specific examples of this include advancements in wireless microphone technology to increase efficiencies, preparing to share spectrum by using geolocation databases, encouraging use of non-UHF spectrum suitable for specific wireless microphone applications and using sophisticated coordination techniques to increase frequency re-use.
In planning for the further reduction of available UHF spectrum, one proposal from the pro audio side was that two reserve channels in the UHF and/or high VHF bands dedicated to wireless microphones in each market could provide critical clean spectrum to professional users. The pro side also supported rules permitting the operation of professional wireless mics in the proposed guardbands and mid-band gap in the 600 MHz range with priority through geolocation databases.
One key point centered around the pro community’s assertion that the FCC’s current Part 74 rules are grossly out-of-date and the public interest requires that they be revised so that all professional wireless mic operations are eligible for Part 74 wireless microphones licensing. This change would ensure that wireless microphones used in theatrical, touring, concert and other professional productions will be covered by a Part 74 license that enables flexible and efficient use of the geolocation database technologies that will be critical to successful spectrum sharing in the future.
Nothing is settled so far, but the open dialog laid down by these meetings will surely increase the FCC’s awareness of the needs of the pro wireless community and hopefully reach a resolution — or at least compromise — well before any frequency reallocations reach the auctioneer’s final hammer.
For more information, visit www.fcc.gov.
