FCC Adopts Rules for Unlicensed Services in TV and 600 MHz Bands

The Federal Communications Commission adopted a Report and Order that modernizes its Part 15 rules to accommodate growing demand for and encourage innovation in unlicensed use. The new rules adopted will permit unlicensed fixed and personal/portable white space devices and unlicensed wireless microphones to use channels in the 600 MHz and television broadcast bands while continuing to protect television and other licensed services from harmful interference. The Report and Order adopted is designed to allow for more robust unlicensed use and to promote spectral efficiency in the 600 MHz band. Specifically the rules:

• Permit more robust and efficient operation of fixed and personal/portable white space devices in television broadcast bands without increasing the risk of interference to broadcast services.
• Provide technical parameters for fixed and personal/portable white space devices to operate in the 600 MHz band, including the duplex gap and guard bands, and channel 37 on a shared non-interference basis with medical telemetry and radio astronomy.
• Permit sharing of spectrum between white space devices and unlicensed microphones in the 600 MHz band.
• Expand the location and frequency information in the white space databases and update database procedures.
• Adopt transition periods for the certification, manufacturing and marketing of white space devices and wireless microphones that comply with new rules.