69710 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 225 / Friday, November 21, 2014 / Proposed Rules 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

47 CFR Parts 15 and 74 

[ET Docket No. 14–165; FCC 14–144] 

Unlicensed Use of TV Band and 600 

MHz Band Spectrum 

AGENCY: Federal Communications 

Commission. 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: In this document, the 

Commission proposes and seeks 

comments on rules for unlicensed 

operations in the frequency bands that 

are now and will continue to be 

allocated and assigned to broadcast 

television services after the incentive 

auction, including fixed and personal/

portable white space devices and 

unlicensed wireless microphones. The 

Commission also proposes and seeks 

comment on rules for the operation of 

unlicensed white space devices, and 

licensed and unlicensed wireless 

microphones in the 600 MHz Band, 

guard bands and duplex gap that will 

exist after the incentive auction. 

DATES: Comments are due on or before 

January 5, 2015; reply comments are 

due on or before January 26, 2015. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Hugh L. Van Tuyl, Office of Engineering 

and Technology, (202) 418–7506, email: 

Hugh.VanTuyl@fcc.gov, TTY (202) 418– 

2989. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 

identified by ET Docket No. 14–165, by 

any of the following methods: 

D Federal Communications 

Commission’s Web site: http://fjallfoss.

fcc.gov/ecfs2/. Follow the instructions 

for submitting comments. 

D Mail: Hugh Van Tuyl, Office of 

Engineering and Technology, Room 7– 

A162, Federal Communications 

Commission, 445 12th SW., 

Washington, DC 20554. 

D People with Disabilities: Contact the 

FCC to request reasonable 

accommodations (accessible format 

documents, sign language interpreters, 

CART, etc.) by email: FCC504@fcc.gov 

or phone: 202–418–0530 or TTY: 202– 

418–0432. 

For detailed instructions for 

submitting comments and additional 

information on the rulemaking process, 

see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

section of this document. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a 

summary of the Commission’s NPRM of 

Proposed Rule Making, ET Docket No. 

14–165, FCC 14–144, adopted 

September 30, 2014, and released 

September 30, 2014. The full text of this 

document is available for inspection 

and copying during normal business 

hours in the FCC Reference Center 

(Room CY–A257), 445 12th Street SW., 

Washington, DC 20554. The complete 

text of this document also may be 

purchased from the Commission’s copy 

contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 

445 12th Street SW., Room, CY–B402, 

Washington, DC 20554. The full text 

may also be downloaded at: 

www.fcc.gov. 

Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 

of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR 1.415 

and 1.419, interested parties may file 

comments and reply comments on or 

before the dates indicated on the first 

page of this document. Comments may 

be filed using the Commission’s 

Electronic Comment Filing System 

(ECFS). See Electronic Filing of 

Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 

63 FR 24121 (1998). 

D Electronic Filers: Comments may be 

filed electronically using the Internet by 

accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.

gov/ecfs2/. 

• Paper Filers: Parties who choose to 

file by paper must file an original and 

one copy of each filing. If more than one 

docket or rulemaking number appears in 

the caption of this proceeding, filers 

must submit two additional copies for 

each additional docket or rulemaking 

number. Filings can be sent by hand or 

messenger delivery, by commercial 

overnight courier, or by first-class or 

overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All 

filings must be addressed to the 

Commission’s Secretary, Office of the 

Secretary, Federal Communications 

Commission. 

D All hand-delivered or messengerdelivered paper filings for the 

Commission’s Secretary must be 

delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 

12th St. SW., Room TW–A325, 

Washington, DC 20554. The filing hours 

are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand 

deliveries must be held together with 

rubber bands or fasteners. Any 

envelopes and boxes must be disposed 

of before entering the building. 

D Commercial overnight mail (other 

than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail 

and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 

East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, 

MD 20743. 

D U.S. Postal Service first-class, 

Express, and Priority mail must be 

addressed to 445 12th Street SW., 

Washington, DC 20554. 

People with Disabilities: To request 

materials in accessible formats for 

people with disabilities (braille, large 

print, electronic files, audio format), 

send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call 

the Consumer & Governmental Affairs 

Bureau at 202–418–0530 (voice), 202– 

418–0432 (tty). 

Summary of NPRM of Proposed 

Rulemaking 

1. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 

(NPRM) proposes and seeks comment 

on rules for fixed and personal/portable 

white space devices that would operate 

in: The frequency bands that are now 

and will continue to be allocated and 

assigned to broadcast television services 

(the ‘‘TV bands’’); the 600 MHz Band 

Plan spectrum that, following the 

Incentive Auction, will be designated as 

guard bands (including a duplex gap); 

the portion of that spectrum allocated 

and assigned to new part 27 licensees 

where wireless licensees have not 

commenced operations; and Channel 

37. It also proposes rules for unlicensed 

wireless microphone operations under 

part 15 of the rules in the TV bands and 

600 MHz Band Plan spectrum, and for 

licensed wireless microphone 

operations under part 74 of the rules in 

the 600 MHz Band Plan spectrum. In 

addition, the NPRM proposes changes to 

the white spaces databases and changes 

for certifying, manufacturing and 

marketing white space devices and 

wireless microphones in the frequency 

bands at issue in this proceeding. In 

particular, the NPRM proposes rules to 

expand the location and frequency 

information in these databases so that 

they can be used to identify available 

frequencies for white space devices, 

including unlicensed wireless 

microphones, in the repurposed 600 

MHz band, guard bands, and Channel 

37. 

2. The Commission’s part 15 rules 

allow unlicensed devices to operate in 

the TV bands at locations where 

frequencies are not in use by licensed 

services. These devices, which are 

commonly referred to as TV white space 

(TVWS) devices, may be either fixed or 

personal/portable. The TV bands 

currently consist of six-megahertz 

channels designated 2 to 51 in four 

bands of frequencies in the VHF and 

UHF regions of the radio spectrum. 

TVWS devices are not permitted to 

operate on channel 37, which is 

allocated for the Radio Astronomy 

Service (RAS) and Land Mobile Service 

(the latter being limited to Wireless 

Medical Telemetry Service (WMTS), or 

on any other channel within 2.4 

kilometers of protected radio 

observatories. To prevent harmful 

interference to broadcast television 

stations and other authorized users of 

these bands, TVWS devices obtain a list 

of available TV channels that may be 

used at their location from databases 

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administered by private entities selected 

by the Commission. 

3. Certain entities may be issued 

licenses under subpart H of part 74 of 

the rules to operate low power auxiliary 

stations, including wireless 

microphones, in the TV bands. Because 

the operators of part 74 wireless 

microphones are licensed, they may 

register the times and locations of their 

operation in the TV bands databases to 

obtain interference protection from 

TVWS devices. The Commission also 

allows the operation of wireless 

microphones in the TV bands on an 

unlicensed basis under a waiver of the 

part 15 rules granted in the 2010. 

Operators of unlicensed wireless 

microphones are generally not 

permitted to register in the TV bands 

database, but parties operating large 

numbers of wireless microphones on an 

unlicensed basis at venues of events and 

productions/shows may register in the 

TV bands database if they meet certain 

criteria specified in the rules and obtain 

Commission approval. 

4. In the Incentive Auction R&O, 79 

FR 48442 (August 15, 2014), the 

Commission adopted rules to repurpose 

broadcast television spectrum in the 

UHF bands for licensed wireless 

services. Under these rules, full power 

and Class A broadcast licensees may 

participate in a reverse auction that will 

allow them to voluntarily relinquish 

some or all of their spectrum usage 

rights in exchange for financial 

compensation. A broadcast licensee that 

participates in the auction will have the 

option to turn in its license, move to a 

channel in the VHF band, or cease using 

its channel and share a channel with 

another licensee. The Commission will 

reorganize or repack the remaining full 

power and Class A television stations to 

clear the UHF band from channel 51 

down. When the transition is 

completed, the TV bands will occupy a 

shorter frequency range than they do 

today and fewer channels may be 

available for TVWS and wireless 

microphone uses at any given location. 

5. The Commission adopted a band 

plan for the repurposed 600 MHz 

spectrum (‘‘600 MHz Band Plan’’) in the 

Incentive Auction R&O that provides for 

a guard band between television 

spectrum and 600 MHz downlink 

services, a guard band between 600 

MHz uplink and downlink services (a 

duplex gap), and guard bands between 

600 MHz downlink services and 

channel 37. It decided to permit 

unlicensed devices, including 

unlicensed wireless microphones, to 

operate in the guard bands and duplex 

gap. The Commission also decided to 

permit unlicensed devices to operate on 

channel 37 and in spectrum reallocated 

and reassigned to new wireless services 

except in those areas where part 27 600 

MHz Band wireless licensees commence 

operations. It stated that it planned to 

develop technical rules for unlicensed 

operation and to consider changes to the 

rules for TVWS devices in a separate 

proceeding. 

A. Fixed and Personal/Portable White 

Space Devices 

1. TV Bands 

a. Permissible Frequencies of Operation 

6. Channels for white space device 

and microphone use. Under the current 

rules, white space devices may not 

operate on the first two vacant TV 

channels above and below channel 37 to 

ensure that there is spectrum available 

for wireless microphones. In the 

Incentive Auction R&O, the Commission 

decided that it would no longer 

continue to designate up to two unused 

television channels in any area 

exclusively for wireless microphone 

operations. The Commission stated that 

in this proceeding we are initiating 

today, it would seek comment on ways 

it could update the rules for white 

spaces databases to provide for more 

immediate reservation of unused and 

available channels in the television 

bands to help ensure that licensed 

wireless microphone operators can 

obtain access to available television 

channels without receiving harmful 

interference from white space devices. It 

decided that it would continue to 

prohibit white space devices from 

operating on the first two vacant TV 

channels above and below channel 37 

until such time as revised Commission 

rules are in effect to provide for more 

immediate interference protection. After 

that time, any available channels could 

be used by either wireless microphones 

or white space devices. 

7. The Commission proposes to 

eliminate the prohibition on white 

space device operation on the first two 

vacant TV channels above and below 

channel 37 and make them available for 

use by white space devices when the 

rules proposes in this NPRM become 

effective. Specifically, the Commission 

proposes to increase the frequency at 

which white space devices must recheck the database, and limit the time 

required for a wireless microphone 

registration made in one white spaces 

database to appear in all other white 

spaces databases. The effect of these two 

proposals will ensure that a white space 

device ceases operation on a channel 

used by a wireless microphone within 

30 minutes after a new microphone 

registration is entered into the database. 

The Commission seeks comment on 

these proposals. 

8. In the Incentive Auction R&O, the 

Commission also stated that it expects 

there will be at least one channel not 

assigned to a television station in all 

areas of the United States at the end of 

the repacking process, and that it 

intends, after NPRM and an opportunity 

for public input, to designate one such 

channel in each area for shared use by 

white space devices and wireless 

microphones. The Commission plans to 

address the issue of a preserved white 

space channel in a separate proceeding. 

It is not proposing to make any changes 

to the white space rules with respect to 

a future preserved channel. Such a 

channel would simply appear in the 

white spaces database as vacant and 

would therefore be available for white 

space devices under the existing rules as 

well as any new or modified rules 

adopted in this proceeding. 

9. Operation of fixed devices on 

channels 3 and 4. The current 

prohibition on fixed white space device 

operation on channels 3 and 4 may no 

longer be warranted. The Commission 

established this prohibition to protect 

TV interface devices and TV receivers 

from direct pickup interference on 

channels 3 and 4. The Commission did 

not have detailed data on the 

susceptibility of TV interface devices 

and TV receivers to direct pickup 

interference on channels 3 and 4, but 

decided to take a cautious approach due 

to the expected large number of TV 

interface devices with outputs on those 

channels. The number of these devices 

has declined significantly since 2008. 

The transition from analog to digital TV 

in 2009 spurred many consumers to 

replace their old analog TV receivers 

with digital receivers that have multiple 

inputs that allow the connection of 

external devices without requiring the 

use of a channel 3 or 4 input signal, 

including HDMI, component video and 

composite video inputs. Further, the 

price of new TV receivers has dropped 

significantly since that time, resulting in 

many more consumers replacing their 

old analog TV receivers. TV receivers 

also have been required to come 

equipped with digital TV tuners for a 

number of years, thus eliminating the 

need to use an external converter box to 

receive over-the-air signals. While we 

recognize that some consumers continue 

to use older analog TV sets with a 

converter box or other TV interface 

devices with a channel 3 or 4 output, we 

believe that number is significantly less 

than in 2008, and will continue to drop 

over time as older TV sets are replaced. 

10. The Commission therefore 

proposes to eliminate the prohibition on 

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the use of channels 3 and 4 by fixed 

white space devices. This proposed 

action would provide an additional 12 

MHz of contiguous spectrum for use by 

white space devices in areas where 

those channels are not used for 

authorized services. Limiting the use of 

these channels to fixed white space 

devices will reduce the likelihood of 

direct pickup interference to TV 

interface devices and TV receivers that 

continue use these frequencies, since a 

fixed white space device is less likely to 

be used in close proximity to a TV 

receiver than a portable device. The 

Commission seeks comment on this 

proposal. Specifically, it seeks comment 

on the extent to which consumers still 

use TV interface devices that operate on 

channels 3 and 4, e.g., the estimated 

number and types of devices. The 

Commission also seeks comment on the 

susceptibility of TV interface devices 

and receivers to direct pickup 

interference on channels 3 and 4, 

particularly the signal levels at which 

such interference would occur as 

compared to the expected signal level 

from a nearby white space device. In 

addition, the Commission seeks 

comment on the extent to which white 

space device manufacturers would use 

TV channels 3 and 4 if they were 

available for fixed devices. 

11. Operation of personal/portable 

devices on channels 14–20 and below 

channel 14. Operation of personal/

portable white space devices is 

currently prohibited below TV channel 

21. The Commission established a 

prohibition on personal/portable device 

operation on channels 14–20 to prevent 

possible interference to public safety 

and other operations in the PLMRS/

CMRS that use channels in that range in 

certain cities and in other areas under 

waivers. It decided to prohibit the use 

of personal/portable devices on 

channels 14–20 nationwide since the 

devices could be easily transported 

anywhere. 

12. The repurposing of spectrum for 

part 27 services will reduce the number 

of channels available for white space 

use, and relaxing the restrictions on the 

channels available for personal/portable 

devices could offset that reduction. We 

believe that it is appropriate to revisit 

the Commission’s previous decisions to 

prohibit personal/portable device 

operation on channels 14–20 and below 

channel 14. Since the time the 

Commission made these decisions, it 

has designated multiple TV bands 

database administrators and has had 

extensive experience working with their 

databases. Based on that experience, the 

Commission has a high degree of 

confidence that the databases can 

reliably protect PLMRS/CMRS 

operations. The locations where the 

PLMRS/CMRS is used, both in eleven 

cities and in other areas where it is 

authorized under waiver, are already in 

the TV bands database since that 

information is used to protect those 

operations from fixed white space 

operations. Personal/portable devices 

rely on database access to determine 

their list of available channels, so they 

can protect the PLMRS/CMRS in the 

same manner as fixed devices. 

13. Accordingly, the Commission 

proposes to remove the prohibition on 

personal/portable device operation on 

channels 14–20. This proposed action 

would make 42 megahertz of spectrum 

potentially available in locations where 

the spectrum is not used for the PLMRS/ 

CMRS or other authorized services. The 

Commission seeks comment on the risk 

of interference to public safety and other 

PLRMS/CMRS based on the 

Commission’s current technical rules for 

personal portable devices, e.g., power 

limits and database access. It also seeks 

comment on any changes to the rules 

that would be required to minimize the 

risk of harmful interference if we were 

to allow operations on channels 14–20. 

14. In addition, the Commission seeks 

comment on whether it should permit 

personal/portable devices to operate 

below channel 14. Allowing operation 

of personal/portable devices on 

channels 7–13 would make another 42 

megahertz of spectrum potentially 

available for personal/portable devices. 

On which channels should we permit 

operation? Would manufacturers be 

interested in developing personal/

portable devices that operate below 

channel 14 given the longer radio 

wavelengths at these lower frequencies? 

b. Technical Rule Changes 

(i) Fixed Device Operation on Adjacent 

Channels 

15. Fixed white space devices, which 

can operate with a maximum power of 

four watts EIRP, are not permitted to 

operate on channels that are adjacent to 

occupied TV channels. They must 

always operate outside the defined 

service contours of adjacent channel TV 

stations by a minimum distance 

specified in the rules. Personal/portable 

devices, which can operate with a 

maximum power of 100 milliwatts EIRP, 

are generally required to operate outside 

the defined service contour of adjacent 

channel TV stations as well. However, 

personal/portable devices are permitted 

to operate within the service contour of 

adjacent channel TV stations if they 

reduce their power to 40 milliwatts 

EIRP. There is currently no 

corresponding provision in the rules 

that permits fixed devices to operate 

within the service contour of adjacent 

channel stations at reduced power. The 

requirement for fixed white space 

devices to avoid adjacent channel 

operation means that they may operate 

only at locations where there are three 

contiguous vacant TV channels, 

regardless of how low they reduce their 

operating power. 

16. After the incentive auction and TV 

spectrum repacking, there will be fewer 

vacant TV channels available for white 

space devices. Therefore, the 

Commission expects that there will be 

fewer locations where three contiguous 

vacant channels exist, particularly in 

urban areas, thus limiting the locations 

where fixed devices may be used. The 

Commission proposes two changes to 

the current rules to provide fixed 

devices access to more vacant TV 

channels. 

17. First, the Commission proposes to 

allow fixed devices to operate adjacent 

to occupied TV channels (i.e., within 

their service contour), provided the 

operating power is reduced to 40 

milliwatts EIRP. This is the same 

maximum power level that we permit 

for personal/portable devices that 

operate adjacent to occupied TV 

channels. This change would allow 

fixed devices to operate in locations 

where the spectrum is highly congested 

and available channels are not 

contiguous. The Commission also 

proposes to modify the table of 

separation distances in § 15.712(a)(2) to 

include co-channel separation distances 

for 40 milliwatt fixed devices. The 

current table of separation distances 

between fixed white space devices and 

co-channel television service contours 

was developed assuming a four watt 

EIRP device, so the separation distances 

are greater than necessary to protect TV 

service from a 40 milliwatt white space 

device. The methodology we will use 

for determining these distances and the 

proposed distances are discussed in the 

following paragraphs. 

18. The Commission seeks comment 

on these proposals. In particular, it 

seeks comment on the appropriateness 

of making the rules for fixed and 

personal/portable white space devices 

consistent with respect to operation 

within an adjacent TV station’s contour. 

The Commission also seeks comment on 

the usefulness of a 40 milliwatt power 

level for fixed devices and whether we 

could allow higher power levels without 

causing interference to adjacent TV 

stations. Parties that recommend higher 

power levels should submit technical 

justification (e.g., analysis or test data) 

to support their recommendations. 

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19. Second, the Commission proposes 

to allow fixed devices to operate with a 

maximum power of four watts EIRP at 

locations where there are two 

contiguous vacant channels rather than 

three. When the Commission adopted 

the current requirement for three 

contiguous vacant channels, it stated 

that it would remain open to modifying 

this requirement if parties develop 

options that would permit operations on 

first adjacent channels that would not 

increase the potential for interference to 

television service and submit those for 

our consideration. This issue is revisited 

here because such operation will 

increase spectrum efficiency and the 

Commission believes, based on several 

studies, that operating in this manner 

will not increase the potential of 

interference to television reception. The 

Commission invites parties to submit 

information on such studies in response 

to this NPRM. The Commission further 

proposes that such operation would 

have to be within a six megahertz band 

centered on the boundary between the 

two vacant television channels, 

effectively reducing the frequency 

separation from six megahertz to three 

megahertz on each side of the white 

space channel. The Commission also 

proposes that the device would have to 

comply with all fixed white space 

requirements with respect to the six 

megahertz band in which it operates 

(e.g., maximum conducted power, 

power spectral density and out-of-band 

emissions.) These changes would allow 

fixed devices to operate at the maximum 

power currently permitted under the 

rules in locations where they cannot 

operate under the current rules. 

20. The Commission seeks comment 

on these proposals, particularly whether 

such operation would adequately 

protect television stations operating on 

adjacent channels. Commenters should 

indicate if they believe any rule changes 

are necessary to ensure protection of 

adjacent channel TV stations. For 

example, should we require slightly 

greater adjacent channel separation 

distances for fixed devices that operate 

with two vacant channels instead of 

three? If so, what are the appropriate 

distances? 

(ii) Operation at Lower Power Levels 

21. As proposed, there would be three 

power levels at which white space 

devices could operate: 40 milliwatts, 

100 milliwatts and 4000 milliwatts 

EIRP. We note however, that the current 

table of separation distances in 

§ 15.712(a)(2) was based on an EIRP of 

4000 milliwatts which results in greater 

distance than necessary to protect TV 

reception from devices operating at 40 

milliwatts or 100 milliwatts. By 

allowing shorter separation distances for 

devices operating at less than 4000 

milliwatts EIRP, we can expand the 

locations at which they can operate. 

22. In addition, we can provide even 

more flexibility for white space device 

users by defining intermediate power 

levels and corresponding separation 

distances. This will allow white space 

devices operating at less than the 

maximum permissible power to meet 

separation distances commensurate 

with their actual power and still protect 

over-the-air TV reception and other 

authorized services from harmful 

interference. As a result, white space 

devices, which must include transmit 

power control, would be able to operate 

in more locations with limited spectrum 

availability than available today. In 

crafting our proposal, we observe that 

the power increase from 40 milliwatts to 

100 millwatts is 4 dB, and that the 

difference in power from 100 milliwatts 

to 4000 milliwatts is 16 dB. The 

Commission, therefore proposes a series 

of tables providing co- and adjacent 

channel separation distances from the 

TV contour based on intermediate 

power levels in uniform 4 dB steps for 

fixed devices. Specifically, it proposes 

to define separation distances for fixed 

devices at EIRP levels of 40 milliwatts, 

100 milliwatts, 250 milliwatts, 625 

milliwatts and 1600 milliwatts (i.e.,16 

dBm, 20 dBm, 24 dBm, 28 dBm and 32 

dBm, respectively) in addition to the 

current separation distances at 4000 

milliwatts (36 dBm). The proposed 

separation distances and methodology 

for determining them are discussed 

below. The Commission also proposes 

that a device be required to indicate to 

the white space database the power at 

which it will operate when it requests 

a list of available channels. The 

Commission further proposes that when 

a device operates between two defined 

power levels, it must comply with the 

separation distances for the higher 

power level. 

23. The current maximum fixed 

device power level of 4000 milliwatts 

EIRP is based on a maximum conducted 

power of one watt (1000 milliwatts) into 

an antenna with a gain of 6 dBi (a factor 

of four). If the antenna gain exceeds 6 

dBi, the maximum conducted power 

must be reduced by the amount in dB 

that the gain exceeds 6 dBi. We propose 

similar requirements for fixed devices 

that operate at power levels less than 

4000 milliwatts EIRP. Specifically, the 

Commission proposes to define a 

maximum conducted power limit for 

each EIRP level, which would be 6 dB 

lower than the EIRP. In addition, 

because the power spectral density 

(PSD) limit for fixed devices is based on 

the maximum conducted power limit, 

the Commission proposes to define a 

PSD limit for each of the proposed 

conducted power levels. The 

Commission further proposes to 

calculate the PSD limit using the same 

methodology described in the White 

Spaces Third MO&O, 77 FR 29236 (May 

17, 2012). That is, the Commission will 

assume that the power of a device will 

be confined to a 5.5 megahertz band to 

allow a 250 kilohertz roll-off at the 

upper and lower edges of a channel to 

meet the adjacent channel emission 

limits. Consistent with the current rules, 

the Commission also proposes to require 

that the maximum conducted power 

and PSD limits for each EIRP level be 

reduced by the amount in dB that the 

maximum antenna gain exceeds 6 dBi. 

In addition, the Commission proposes 

that if a fixed device operates between 

these defined EIRP levels, the 

conducted power and PSD limits must 

be interpolated between the defined 

values shown. 

24. The Commission seeks comment 

on the EIRP conducted power and PSD 

limits in proposals in paragraph 24 of 

the NPRM. In particular, it seeks 

comment on the usefulness of operation 

at the power levels proposed and 

whether there is a need to specify 

protection distances at additional power 

levels. The Commission also seeks 

comment on how the information on the 

power level and available channels 

should be communicated between the 

device and the database. For example, a 

fixed device could simply supply its 

geographic coordinates to the database, 

and the database could return a list of 

channels that indicates the maximum 

power at which the device could 

operate on each channel. Alternatively, 

the device could supply its locations 

and maximum power level and the 

database could return a list of available 

channels corresponding to operation at 

that location/power level combination. 

Are there other combinations of 

parameters for information exchange 

that would better suit such operation? 

What are the benefits and drawbacks of 

each alternative with respect to database 

operation and design and to equipment 

design? The Commission also seeks 

comment on the proposed PSD limits. 

Do these limits provide sufficient 

flexibility for device design and 

operation? Or would different limits be 

more appropriate? Commenters who 

advocate alternative limits and 

methodology should provide detailed 

technical analysis and justification to 

support their position. 

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(iii) White Space Devices in Rural Areas 

25. The Commission seeks comment 

on a number of possible changes that 

could give more flexibility to operators 

of white space devices that would allow 

them to increase coverage and provide 

improved service in rural areas. For 

purposes of these proposals only, we 

use the term ‘‘rural’’ to refer to areas 

where there are numerous unused TV 

channels, which may be areas of low 

population density or areas that are 

merely under-served by broadcast 

services. In these cases, the potential for 

harmful interference from a white space 

device to a broadcasting station is 

significantly reduced. Specifically, the 

Commission seeks comment on whether 

to increase the limit on antenna height 

above ground for fixed devices in rural 

areas. The Commission also seeks 

comment on whether to allow higher 

power by fixed and personal/portable 

white space devices operating in rural 

areas. Finally, the Commission seeks 

comment on an appropriate definition 

of rural area for purposes of these 

proposals. 

26. Definition of rural area. The part 

15 rules do not define what constitutes 

a rural area. The Commission proposes 

to identify rural areas for white space 

devices as those where at least half of 

the TV channels are unused for 

broadcast services and available for 

white space use. At higher power, 

would fixed devices need to be located 

at a greater distance from a broadcast 

station contour, or would the fixed 

devices need to avoid operating on first, 

second or third adjacent channels? How 

might these factors affect the number 

and location of unused channels in 

identifying a rural area? The 

Commission seeks comment on the 

appropriateness of such a criterion or 

whether a different definition would 

better meet the needs of service 

providers. Because white space devices 

rely on a database to determine their list 

of available channels, the database 

would need to determine whether a 

fixed white space device is located in a 

rural area to allow such operation. 

Although the Commission believes that 

the white space databases already have 

the information needed to identify a 

rural area under the proposed criterion 

(i.e., the identification of vacant TV 

channels at a given white space device 

location), the Commission seeks 

comment on what changes might be 

needed to implement this proposal, 

including the cost and programming 

complexity of such changes. 

27. Fixed device antenna height above 

ground. The range at which a white 

space device could cause interference to 

authorized services increases as the 

antenna height increases. To limit this 

interference potential, the Commission 

established maximum height limits of 

30 meters above ground level (AGL) and 

250 meters HAAT for fixed white space 

device antennas. The Commission also 

established minimum required 

separation distances between white 

space devices and authorized services 

such as broadcast television that were 

determined based on the antenna height 

above ground and average terrain. The 

Commission adopted the 30-meter 

height above ground limit as a balance 

between increasing the white space 

device transmission range and the need 

to minimize the impact on licensed 

services. A higher antenna height above 

ground can improve signal propagation 

in suburban and urban areas by raising 

the antenna above obstacles such as 

trees and buildings. However, this 

increased signal propagation can also 

have a negative impact on spectrum 

sharing in congested areas where there 

are few available channels. The 

Commission stated that it could revisit 

the antenna height above ground limit 

in the future if experience with TV 

bands devices indicates they could 

operate at higher antenna heights 

without causing harmful interference. 

28. A higher antenna height above 

ground could be beneficial in rural areas 

since an antenna could be mounted on 

a tower or other structure at a sufficient 

height to clear intervening obstacles 

such as trees and hills that would 

attenuate the transmitted signal. 

Increasing the antenna height could 

increase the maximum distance at 

which a signal can be received. There 

will generally be a significant number of 

available white space channels in rural 

areas, so there will not be the same 

concerns in those locations as in more 

congested areas about multiple users 

competing for spectrum. Since there are 

fewer authorized users of the spectrum 

in rural areas, there is a lower likelihood 

that an increased antenna height above 

ground will cause harmful interference. 

Accordingly, the Commission seeks 

comment on whether it should allow 

fixed white space device antennas at a 

height above ground of more than 30 

meters in rural areas. If so, what is the 

maximum height that we should allow? 

What interference or spectrum sharing 

concerns would be raised by a higher 

antenna height above ground? Would 

we need to increase the minimum 

required separation distances to cochannel and adjacent channel television 

stations since the current distances 

assume a maximum antenna height 

above ground of 30 meters? If so, what 

are the appropriate separation 

distances? Similarly, should the 

Commission also consider increasing 

the HAAT limit for rural areas or keep 

that limit at 250 meters, but only allow 

a higher antenna height above ground 

level? What are the implications on 

interference distance from a higher 

HAAT limit along with a higher AGL 

limit? 

29. Power limit for fixed devices. In 

adopting the four watt EIRP limit for 

fixed white space devices, the 

Commission recognized that there 

would be advantages to allowing 

operation of white space devices at 

higher power levels, such as reduced 

infrastructure costs and increased 

service range. However, the Commission 

decided not to allow the operation of 

fixed white space devices at power 

levels above four watts EIRP due to 

concerns about the increased risk of 

interference in congested areas that 

could make sharing spectrum between 

white space device users difficult. The 

Commission also stated that because it 

did not have experience with 

unlicensed wireless broadband 

operations in the TV bands, it would 

take a cautious approach in setting 

power limits to minimize the risk of 

harmful interference to authorized users 

of the TV bands. The Commission 

indicated that it would explore in a 

future proceeding whether higher 

powered unlicensed operation might be 

accommodated in the TV white spaces 

in rural areas. 

30. The Commission seeks comment 

on whether it should allow fixed white 

space devices in rural areas to operate 

with up to ten watts EIRP, which could 

improve broadband service coverage in 

these areas. The Commission expects 

that equipment manufacturers can 

achieve this higher EIRP level by using 

higher gain antennas (10 dBi rather than 

6 dBi), with no increase in the one watt 

conducted power level currently 

permitted. The Commission believes 

that requiring a higher gain antenna to 

achieve the higher EIRP as opposed to 

a higher transmitter power is 

appropriate for several reasons. First, it 

will result in more efficient spectrum 

use because the power from a higher 

gain antenna will be concentrated in a 

narrower beamwidth, thus reducing the 

likelihood of interference to authorized 

services and to other white space device 

users. Also, the Commission believes 

that use of fixed devices at these higher 

power levels would be limited to pointto-point type operations as it is unlikely 

that lower power personal/portable 

devices would be able to communicate 

over the increased distances. 

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31. The Commission seeks comment 

on the appropriateness of a ten watt 

power level and the degree to which it 

could help rural broadband operators 

improve or expand their service 

offerings to additional areas. What is the 

trade-off in terms of cost and system 

complexity of using a single high power 

fixed station as opposed to several lower 

power stations? The Commission also 

seeks comment on whether it should 

allow higher transmitter output power 

(i.e., greater than one watt) as an 

alternative to, or in addition to, higher 

gain antennas. In addition, if we were to 

adopt rules for higher power, should we 

provide for intermediate levels between 

4 and 10 watts EIRP? If so, what are the 

appropriate levels? The Commission 

further seeks comment on the impact of 

these proposed changes on authorized 

services in the TV bands. It recognizes 

that allowing a higher power level for 

white space devices will require greater 

separation distances from co-channel 

and adjacent channel TV stations. 

Would the methodology described 

below for determining such separation 

distances be appropriate for higher 

power white space devices in rural 

areas? Would we need to increase the 

minimum separation distance from 

protected services such as licensed 

wireless microphones, registered receive 

sites, and the PLMRS in addition to full 

power and Class A television stations? 

32. Power limit for personal/portable 

devices. The Commission established a 

lower power limit for personal/portable 

devices (100 milliwatts EIRP) than for 

fixed devices (4 watts EIRP). The 

Commission adopted this lower limit 

because it found that personal/portable 

devices generally pose a greater risk of 

harmful interference to authorized 

operations than fixed devices because 

portable devices will change locations, 

making identification of both unused 

TV frequencies and the devices 

themselves, if harmful interference 

occurs, more complex and difficult. It 

further stated that the significant 

distances at which harmful interference 

could occur from a personal/portable 

device operating at greater than 100 

milliwatts would make it very difficult 

to identify a device that is the source of 

harmful interference. 

33. Higher power limits for personal/ 

portable devices in rural areas could 

benefit the public by enabling 

applications that are limited or 

precluded by the current rules, such as 

mobile communications and vehicle 

tracking. We recognize the 

Commission’s previous concerns with 

higher power limits for personal/

portable devices. However, we believe 

that personal/portable devices may be 

able to operate at higher power levels in 

certain limited situations without a high 

risk of harmful interference to 

authorized services. Specifically, they 

may be able to operate at higher power 

in rural areas where there are a large 

number of TV channels available for 

white space use. In that situation, the 

risk of harmful interference to services 

operating in the TV bands is lower. 

Further, the rules contain detailed 

requirements for Mode II personal/

portable devices that are designed to 

prevent harmful interference to 

authorized services. Specifically, they 

must: (1) Be capable of determining 

their position to within 50 meters; (2) 

re-check their position every 60 

seconds; (3) access a database to 

determine the list of available channels 

at their location; and (4) re-check the 

database whenever they move at least 

100 meters from their last location. 

34. The Commission seeks comment 

on whether it should permit personal/

portable devices to operate at higher 

power in rural areas. If so, what should 

be the maximum power at which they 

can operate? Should we limit higher 

power personal/portable devices to 

certain types of applications? If so, what 

applications? If we were to allow 

personal/portable devices to operate at 

higher power, would we need to adopt 

any additional requirements to prevent 

harmful interference to authorized 

services? If so, what requirements? For 

example, should personal/portable 

devices be required to comply with 

larger separation distances from 

authorized services than fixed devices 

operating at comparable power levels? 

(iv) Channel Bonding and Out-of-Band 

Emission Limits 

35. White space devices must comply 

with a three part out-of-band emission 

limit. First, they must comply with a 

power limit (conducted for fixed 

devices and EIRP for portable devices) 

in the television channels immediately 

adjacent to the channel in which the 

device operates. Second, they must 

comply with the § 15.209 radiated 

emission limits at frequencies beyond 

the television channels immediately 

adjacent to the channel in which the 

white space device is operating. Third, 

they must comply with stringent out-ofband emission limits on channels 36 

through 38. 

36. The Commission notes that the 

current out-of-band emission rules were 

written with the assumption that a 

white space device would transmit on a 

single six megahertz TV channel and 

meet the appropriate out-of-band 

emission limits at all frequencies 

outside of this single channel. However, 

a white space device could be designed 

to use two or more channels 

simultaneously to increase its 

transmission bandwidth and maximum 

data rate. A device could use multiple 

non-contiguous channels, i.e. channel 

aggregation, or could use multiple 

contiguous channels, i.e. channel 

bonding. There is no prohibition in the 

rules on the use of multiple channels by 

a white space device. In fact, the rules 

already implicitly allow the use of 

multiple channels by a single device 

since they specify the maximum power 

limits per six megahertz of bandwidth, 

indicating that a device may use 

multiple six megahertz channels. 

However, because the rules do not 

consider cases where a white space 

device transmits on multiple channels 

simultaneously, we believe that the 

current out-of-band emission rules in 

§ 15.709(c) could be modified so that 

users could better make use of the 

efficiencies associated with channel 

aggregation and channel bonding. 

Channel aggregation and channel 

bonding will allow the development of 

devices that transmit at higher data 

rates, thus making higher speed 

equipment available to consumers. 

37. The Commission, therefore, 

proposes several rule changes with 

respect to channel bonding. The 

Commission proposes to modify 

§ 15.709(c)(1) to specify that the 

adjacent channel emissions limits do 

not apply within an adjacent channel 

that is being used by the same white 

space device, since in such cases there 

would be no TV station or other 

authorized service to protect on the 

adjacent channel; that is, to operate on 

two adjacent channels, a device would 

need to receive a message from a white 

space database that both channels are 

available at its location. Instead, the 

Commission proposes to apply these 

limits within the six megahertz bands 

immediately above and below the edges 

of the band of contiguous channels used 

by the white space device. The 

Commission also proposes to require 

that a device must meet the § 15.209 

limits at frequencies more than six 

megahertz above and below the edges of 

the highest and lowest channels used in 

the device. The Commission further 

proposes to apply these requirements to 

fixed devices that operate centered on 

the boundary of two channels as 

proposed above, since that is a form of 

channel bonding. The Commission 

seeks comment on these proposals. In 

particular, it seeks comment on whether 

the white space databases will need to 

make any adjustments to accommodate 

channel bonding as proposed. Would 

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programming changes be necessary or 

should the logic to bond channels reside 

solely within a device based on the list 

of available channels obtained from the 

white space database? How easily can 

existing devices accommodate these 

changes or would new devices need to 

be designed? 

38. With respect to channel 

aggregation, the Commission proposes 

to modify § 15.709(c)(2) to indicate that 

when a white space device transmits on 

multiple non-contiguous channels 

simultaneously, it must comply with the 

adjacent channel emission limits in the 

six megahertz bands above and below 

each of the single channels or channel 

groups used by the white space device. 

In such cases, the white space device 

would have to comply with the § 15.209 

limits at frequencies outside of the 

channels used by the device and the six 

megahertz bands adjacent to the 

channels used by the device. The 

Commission seeks comment on this 

proposal. 

39. Adjacent channel emission levels. 

In addition to our proposals to modify 

the adjacent channel emission rules to 

allow for channel bonding and 

aggregation, we are proposing to add 

emission limits for fixed devices 

operating at the proposed new power 

levels that are less than four watts EIRP. 

The Commission further proposes to 

correct the method of specifying the 

emission limits for fixed devices using 

a high gain (greater than 6 dBi) antenna. 

40. In the White Spaces Third MO&O, 

the Commission decided to set the 

adjacent channel emission limit, 

measured in a 100 kHz bandwidth, as 

72.8 dB below the maximum permitted 

power measured in a 6 MHz bandwidth. 

This results in an adjacent channel 

conducted emission limit of ¥42.8 dBm 

for the maximum permissible one watt 

(30 dBm) conducted power for fixed 

devices. Because the Commission is 

now proposing to define additional 

conducted power levels for fixed 

devices that are less than 30 dBm, we 

are proposing adjacent channel 

emission limits corresponding to these 

lower power levels. These proposed 

limits, shown in the table in paragraph 

59 of the NPRM, are calculated using 

the methodology in the White Spaces 

Third MO&O. The Commission 

proposes that a device that operates 

between two defined power levels must 

comply with the limit for the higher 

power level. 

41. The Commission seeks comment 

on the appropriateness of these limits. It 

recognizes that we could simply adopt 

the ¥42.8 dBm level for all power 

levels, but by providing flexibility based 

on power, our rules will provide for 

lower power white space devices to 

operate closer to the TV contours than 

higher power devices. 

42. Similarly, the rules in 

§ 15.709(c)(1)(i) do not compensate for 

fixed devices with antenna gains greater 

than 6 dBi where the device must 

operate by reducing its maximum 

conducted power by the amount in dB 

that the antenna gain exceeds 6 dBi. In 

such situations, the adjacent channel 

emission limits also need to be reduced 

because they are calculated relative to 

the maximum conducted power (i.e., 

72.8 dB lower). The Commission 

therefore proposes to modify 

§ 15.709(c)(1)(i) to require that the 

adjacent channel emission limits for 

fixed devices be reduced in the same 

manner as the in-band power, i.e., by 

the amount in dB that the antenna gain 

exceeds 6 dBi. This approach is 

consistent with the methodology used to 

determine compliance with the power 

spectral density limit for fixed devices. 

The Commission seeks comment on this 

proposal. 

43. In light of the proposals above, the 

Commission seeks comment on whether 

it should relax the current adjacent 

channel emission limits. Are these 

limits difficult to meet and does the 

necessary filtering increase the cost of 

equipment? Commenters advocating for 

less stringent adjacent channel emission 

limits are requested to provide 

proposals detailing different levels 

along with analysis showing the effect 

of TV reception, the potential 

interference to other authorized services 

in the band and any effect such changes 

would have on the required separation 

distance between white space devices 

and adjacent channel TV stations. For 

example, to compensate for less 

stringent out-of-band requirements we 

could increase the adjacent channel 

separation distances to TV station 

contours. What are the benefits of 

adopting such rules? And what would 

be the effect on the white space 

databases? Would devices need to 

transmit information regarding their 

out-of-band emission levels to the 

database to be used when calculating 

the list of available channels? Or could 

information regarding the capabilities of 

various devices reside in the database? 

How would such a scheme work? 

Another option would be to provide a 

range of adjacent channel emission 

limits with corresponding separation 

distances. The Commission seeks 

comment on this option and what 

benefits such flexibility would add. Or 

would the added complexity introduced 

to both devices and the database negates 

any potential benefits? Finally, the 

Commission seeks comment on the 

effect that less stringent adjacent 

channel emission limits would have on 

services and uses where there are no 

adjacent channel separation 

requirements, such as on wireless 

microphones or on TV stations adjacent 

to 40 milliwatt white space devices. 

(v) Calculating the Separation Distances 

From a TV Station Contour 

44. The rules require that white space 

devices protect defined service contours 

of analog and digital full service and 

low power television stations. These 

contours are calculated using the 

methodology in § 73.684 of the rules 

and the F(50,50) and F(50,90) curves 

contained in § 73.699. Under the current 

rules, fixed white space devices must 

operate outside the contours of cochannel and adjacent channel TV 

stations at the distances specified in the 

table in § 15.712(a)(2). This table 

provides co-channel and adjacent 

channel separation distances for nine 

ranges of fixed device HAAT, up to a 

maximum of 250 meters. Personal/

portable devices that operate with an 

EIRP greater than 40 milliwatts, up to 

the maximum of 100 milliwatts, must 

comply with the co-channel and 

adjacent channel separation distances at 

the lowest HAAT in the table (i.e., less 

than 3 meters). Personal/portable 

devices operating at 40 milliwatts or 

less only need to comply with the cochannel separation distance at the 

lowest HAAT listed in the table. 

45. The Commission described the 

methodology it used to determine the 

table of separation distances in the 

White Spaces Third MO&O. 

Specifically, the Commission calculated 

the distances assuming a fixed white 

space device with an EIRP of four watts. 

It used a D/U signal ratio of 23 dB to 

protect co-channel TV reception, and 

¥33 dB to protect adjacent channel TV 

reception. The Commission assumed 

that a TV receive antenna within a TV 

station’s protected service contour 

would have a front to back ratio of 14 

dB as specified in the DTV planning 

factors of OET Bulletin 69. Using these 

factors, it calculated the minimum 

required separation distances that a 

white space device must operate outside 

a TV stations’ protected contour using 

the F(50,10) and F(50,50) curves over 

the range of antenna heights and 

distances at which these curves are 

defined. For HAAT values below 30 

meters and for contour distances of less 

than 1.5 kilometers where the F(50,50) 

and F(50,10) curves are not defined, the 

Commission used the TM 91–1 

propagation model to calculate the 

required separation distances. 

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46. The Commission is proposing to 

amend the table of separation distances 

in § 15.712(a)(2) to reflect the proposals 

above that would allow fixed device 

operation at a range of power levels 

below four watts EIRP. Requiring 

shorter separation distances for fixed 

white space devices with power levels 

below four watts will permit them to 

operate in more locations than the 

current rules allow, i.e., closer to a 

television station service contour, since 

the current separation distances were 

based on the assumption that a fixed 

device always operates at the maximum 

power level. In addition, since the 

separation distances for personal/

portable devices were also based on an 

EIRP of four watts, they are greater than 

necessary since personal/portable 

devices may operate with a maximum 

EIRP of 100 milliwatts, or 40 milliwatts 

if they are on a channel adjacent to an 

occupied channel. Because we are 

calculating separation distances for 

fixed devices at 40 milliwatts and 100 

milliwatts EIRP, we propose to apply 

those separation distances, based on the 

lowest antenna HAAT, to personal/

portable devices. This proposal will 

increase the number of locations where 

personal/portable devices may operate. 

47. The Commission notes that the 

table of separation distances will 

increase in size due to the inclusion of 

additional power levels and therefore 

propose to split the table into two: one 

for co-channel and the other for adjacent 

channel separation distances. It also 

proposes to add an entry to show which 

separation distances apply to personal/ 

portable devices, see table in paragraph 

66 of the NPRM. The proposed cochannel separation distance table is as 

follows: 

48. The proposed adjacent channel 

separation distances are shown in 

paragraph 67 of the NPRM. There is no 

entry for 40 milliwatt (16 dBm) devices 

because fixed and personal/portable 

devices operating at this power level 

would not have to meet adjacent 

channel separation distance 

requirements. This proposed table 

would correct an error in the current 

rules for the separation distances at the 

four watt power level. The Commission 

determined that the current separation 

distances were inadvertently calculated 

without considering the 14 dB receive 

antenna front-to-back ratio that the 

Commission previously stated it would 

use in determining these distances. 

Therefore, they are larger than they 

would be if the receive antenna 

directivity were taken into account. All 

of the distances in the following table 

were calculated using the 14 dB receive 

antenna front-to-back ratio. 

49. The Commission seeks comment 

on this proposal. In particular, it seeks 

comment on whether these separation 

distances will provide adequate 

protection to co-channel and adjacent 

channel TV stations at the power levels 

and antenna HAATs listed. Parties that 

suggest changes to these distances 

should provide a technical analysis 

explaining their rationale. The 

Commission also seeks comment on the 

validity of the calculated prediction 

distances at low power levels (e.g., 40 

milliwatts) and high HAAT. Is a 40 

milliwatt white space device capable of 

causing interference to co-channel 

television stations at the calculated 

distances (over 12 kilometers at the 

maximum HAAT)? Do we need to 

consider the HAAT of low power white 

space devices? 

50. In addition, we note that some 

parties have informally advised the 

Commission that they believe the 

Commission’s current table of 

separation distances is overly 

conservative in some cases, and 

therefore limits the amount of white 

space spectrum available for unlicensed 

devices. The Commission therefore 

seeks comment on whether it should 

make additional rule changes with 

respect to the following issues. 

51. Alternative propagation models 

for calculating interference. As 

discussed above, the Commission 

requires the use of the propagation 

curves in the rules for calculating the 

protected service contours of TV 

stations. Digital TV service contours are 

calculated using the F(50,90) curves, 

and analog TV service contours are 

calculated using the F(50,50) curves. 

Additionally, the table of separation 

distances between TV station service 

contours and white space devices was 

calculated using the F(50,10) and 

F(50,50) curves over the range where 

they are defined. Some parties have 

suggested that the Commission use 

other propagation models such as the 

Longley-Rice methodology or the Hata 

models to determine where white space 

devices could operate without causing 

interference to TV reception. 

52. In seeking comment on alternative 

propagation models, we note that we are 

not proposing any changes to the 

method of calculating the protected 

service contours of TV stations using the 

F(50,90) and F(50,50) propagation 

curves. This is the method specified in 

the part 73 rules for calculating TV 

service contours, and we believe it is 

appropriate to require unlicensed white 

space devices to follow the same 

method for determining protected TV 

contours. In addition, the Commission 

do not believe the use of the LongleyRice methodology would be appropriate 

for determining whether a white space 

device would cause interference to TV 

reception as it is computationally 

intensive and would significantly slow 

the determination of available TV 

channels by the white spaces databases. 

53. With regard to the calculation of 

distances in the separation table, the 

Commission used a combination of its 

own propagation curves and the TM 91– 

1 to calculate separation the distances. 

It recognizes that this may not be the 

only appropriate methodology for 

calculating separation distances. We 

therefore seek comment on whether the 

Commission should consider using 

other propagation models that could 

give a more accurate indication as to 

whether interference is likely occur to 

TV reception. For example, are the Hata 

models appropriate for making these 

calculations? Are there other models 

that could be used? Could the 

separation distances calculated using 

other models provide a high degree of 

confidence that interference to TV 

would not occur? How would the 

separation distances obtained with an 

alternative model differ from those 

calculated with the methodology 

previously used by the Commission? 

Would the differences in these distances 

increase the amount of available white 

space, and if so, by how much? 

54. Directional antenna use by white 

space devices. The Commission 

considered the directivity of TV receive 

antennas in developing the table of 

separation distances for white space 

devices and assumed a 14 dB front-toback ratio. Because a TV receive 

antenna located just inside the protected 

contour of a TV station would be 

pointed toward the TV station, it would 

therefore be pointed away from a white 

space device located just outside the 

contour. However, the Commission did 

not consider the directivity of a white 

space transmit antenna in developing 

the table of separation distances and 

assumed an omnidirectional transmit 

antenna with a transmit power of four 

watts EIRP. The Commission stated that 

it was desirable to minimize the 

complexity for compliance while 

providing assurance that TV stations 

would be adequately protected. 

Likewise, when the Commission 

modified the table of protection 

distances in the White Spaces Third 

MO&O to allow white space device 

operation at higher antenna HAAT, it 

did not consider the directivity of the 

white space device transmit antenna. 

55. The directional pattern of a fixed 

white space device transmit antenna 

could affect the identification of 

available channels. In the case where 

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the transmit antenna points away from 

a TV station that the white space device 

must protect, the effect would be that 

the white space device has a lower EIRP 

in the direction of the TV station. Under 

such situations it may be possible to 

reduce the required separation distance 

between the white space device and the 

protected contour of the co-channel and 

adjacent channel TV stations. This 

change could increase the number of 

locations where a fixed device could 

operate. However, there are a number of 

factors that have to be considered to 

ensure that white space devices provide 

adequate protection to TV stations. For 

example, antenna pattern information 

for fixed white space devices, including 

the orientation of the antenna as 

installed in the field would be needed. 

This information would then have to be 

stored in some format in the white 

spaces databases. The Commission 

would also have to develop appropriate 

protection criteria for a fixed white 

space device that uses a directional 

antenna. For example, we may need to 

specify the minimum arc size over 

which the power must be reduced in the 

direction of a protected TV station, 

since reduced power over a very narrow 

arc may not provide adequate 

protection. 

56. Accordingly, the Commission 

seeks comment on whether it should 

modify the rules to consider the 

directional antenna pattern for fixed 

space devices. If so, how can we assure 

the accuracy of antenna pattern 

information? Should we require the 

database to store detailed information, 

such as the antenna gain at one degree 

intervals, or could we define several 

simpler generic patterns that 

approximate commonly used antennas? 

Should the database be responsible for 

storing various antenna patterns or 

should they be transmitted to the 

databases by the device at power up the 

first time it requests a channel list? How 

would we specify the appropriate 

protection criteria for white space 

devices using directional antennas? For 

example, could the protection distances 

proposed above for multiple power 

levels be used in conjunction with 

directional antenna information to 

protect TV reception? What other 

criteria would we need to specify? 

(vi) Location Accuracy 

57. A fixed or Mode II personal/

portable device must be able to 

determine its position and provide that 

information to the white spaces 

database, which then determines 

whether the device meets the minimum 

required separation distances from 

protected services. The rules currently 

require that a fixed or Mode II personal/ 

portable device incorporate a geolocation capability that can determine 

its geographic coordinates to within ±50 

meters. GPS is capable of determining 

coordinates to this level of accuracy, but 

there may be circumstances where it is 

not possible to receive a GPS signal, 

such as indoors or at outdoor locations 

where there are obstacles such as 

buildings and trees. The Commission 

seeks comment on whether there are 

other location methods besides GPS that 

can determine a white space device’s 

location to within ±50 meters. If so, 

what are these methods? The 

Commission also seeks comment on 

whether devices need to determine their 

position with this level of accuracy to 

protect authorized services. 

58. In addition, the Commission seeks 

comment on whether we should allow 

white space devices to use geo-location 

methods that are less accurate than the 

current rules require, provided they 

provide the same level of protection to 

authorized services. If so, what level of 

accuracy should be required? How 

could we assure that devices with a 

lower level of geo-location accuracy do 

not cause interference to authorized 

services? Could we require white space 

devices to operate at greater distances 

from authorized services to offset the 

increased uncertainty in a device’s 

location? If so, should we require all 

white space devices to meet increased 

separation distances, or only those with 

less accurate geo-location capabilities? If 

we allow only some devices to use a less 

accurate geo-location method, how 

could the white space databases take 

into account a device’s geo-location 

accuracy in determining the list of 

available channels? The accuracy of 

some geo-location technologies, such as 

GPS, is well established, but this may 

not be the case for geo-location 

technologies, some of which may be 

proprietary, that manufacturers wish to 

use for white space devices. How 

should the location accuracy of a device 

be tested? Should manufacturers be 

required to certify the accuracy of the 

location technology incorporated into a 

device as part of the equipment 

certification process? Are there any 

other approaches that would allow 

white space devices to incorporate less 

accurate geo-location capabilities while 

still protecting authorized services? 

2. 600 MHz Guard Bands 

59. The 600 MHz Band includes a 

guard band between the wireless 

downlink services band and the TV 

band that will vary in size and 

frequency depending on the amount of 

spectrum recovered in the auction. 

There are three possibilities for the size 

of this guard band: 11 megahertz, nine 

megahertz and seven megahertz. 

However, if exactly 84 megahertz of 

spectrum is recovered in the auction, 

channel 37 plus the three megahertz 

guard band that protects the WMTS and 

RAS on channel 37 will serve as the 

guard band between the wireless 

downlink services band and TV band. 

Therefore, there would not be a separate 

guard band between the TV band and 

the wireless downlink services band 

that could be made available for 

unlicensed use as there would be under 

all other spectrum recovery scenarios. 

60. The Spectrum Act states that the 

Commission may permit unlicensed use 

of the guard bands, and stipulates that 

(a) unlicensed use shall rely on a 

database or subsequent methodology as 

determined by the Commission, and (b) 

the Commission may not permit any use 

of a guard band that the Commission 

determines would cause harmful 

interference to licensed services. The 

term ‘‘guard band’’ includes the duplex 

gap, and thus the Spectrum Act’s 

requirements discussed here apply 

equally to the duplex gap. Fixed and 

personal/portable white space devices 

clearly satisfy the Act’s stipulation that 

‘‘unlicensed use rely on a database’’ 

since our rules already require that 

these devices access a database to 

identify vacant TV channels in their 

area that meet the interference 

avoidance requirements of our rules, 

and they may only operate on the vacant 

channels that the database identifies. 

This Commission is proposing in this 

NPRM to expand the information in the 

white space databases to include 600 

MHz Band services that will be entitled 

to interference protection. The 

Commission’s part 15 rules already 

require that unlicensed devices not 

cause harmful interference to and must 

accept interference from authorized 

users. In this NPRM, the Commission 

proposes technical and operational rules 

for white space devices in these bands 

that will satisfy the requirements of both 

the Spectrum Act and our rules. 

61. The Commission proposes to 

allow fixed and personal/portable 

devices to operate in the guard bands 

and duplex gap. The current white 

space rules provide for two types of 

personal/portable devices. Mode II 

devices, like fixed devices, incorporate 

geo-location and database access 

capabilities which facilitate their ability 

to meet the required separation 

distances at their operating location, 

while Mode I devices do not. Instead, 

Mode I devices must obtain a list of 

available operating channels from a 

fixed or Mode II personal/portable white 

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space device that is within their 

transmission range and may only 

operate so long as they can receive a 

controlling signal from the fixed or 

Mode II device. Because Mode I devices 

are limited to a maximum EIRP of 100 

milliwatts, or 40 milliwatts EIRP if they 

are adjacent to an occupied TV channel, 

they must operate relatively close to the 

device that provides the list of available 

channels. Thus, the actual location of a 

Mode I device is different from the 

device providing it a list of available 

channels. The Commission seeks 

comment from parties contemplating 

use of Mode I devices on the types of 

functions and applications they 

envision for these devices, and the 

typical and maximum operating range 

envisioned for these devices. It also 

seeks comment on any studies that 

address the interference potential of 

Mode I devices. The Commission 

further seeks comment on whether it 

should limit operation in these bands to 

fixed and Mode II devices only to 

ensure protection to authorized services 

in these bands. Alternatively, should we 

also allow Mode I devices to operate in 

these bands, but increase the separation 

distances to offset the uncertainty in the 

devices’ locations? In addition, the 

Commission seeks comment on whether 

any limitations on the types of devices 

in the duplex gap would be necessary 

after the 39 month transition period 

when all television stations are moved 

from the spectrum that is designated as 

the duplex gap. The Commission asks 

commenters to address the effect that 

any limitations on the permissible types 

of devices in these bands may have on 

the development of white space services 

and applications. 

62. A white space device operating in 

a guard band would have to protect two 

different authorized services on 

frequencies immediately adjacent to the 

guard band. Broadcast television will 

operate in the lower adjacent spectrum, 

and licensed wireless downlink services 

will operate in the upper adjacent 

spectrum. The current rules permit 

operation of personal/portable white 

space devices on a channel that is 

immediately adjacent to an occupied TV 

channel, provided the device power is 

reduced to 40 milliwatts. In the NPRM, 

the Commission is proposing to also 

allow fixed devices to operate on a 

channel immediately adjacent to an 

occupied TV channel at the same 40 

milliwatt power level, and it is 

proposing to allow fixed devices to 

operate at 4 watts EIRP three megahertz 

away from an occupied TV channel. 

However, the Commission does not 

currently have rules for white space 

devices that address operation on a 

channel immediately adjacent to 

wireless downlink services. Therefore, 

the Commission must develop rules to 

protect wireless downlink services 

adjacent to the guard bands, that is, 

protecting the ability of handsets to 

receive signals from a base station. The 

analysis discussed applies equally to the 

duplex gap because white space devices 

operating in the duplex gap must also 

protect wireless downlink services in 

adjacent frequency bands. The 

Commission proposes to protect 

wireless handsets by limiting the power 

of white space devices in the guard 

bands and duplex gap, and by requiring 

a buffer between the edge of the channel 

used by the white space device and 

wireless downlink services. The 

proposed approach ensures against 

harmful interference to licensed services 

and promotes the public interest and 

benefits inherent in maximizing 

spectrum use. 

63. The Commission considers 

separately the guard band sizes under 

each of the spectrum recovery scenarios. 

In each case, we assume that the white 

space devices could be either fixed or 

personal/portable, that they will 

transmit over a six megahertz wide 

bandwidth, that they could be operating 

at 40 milliwatts immediately adjacent to 

an occupied TV channel, and that their 

operation will be controlled through use 

of a database. The power limits and 

frequency separation needed to protect 

part 27 wireless services will alter the 

assumptions for white space devices’ 

power limits and bandwidth in each 

case and, ultimately, how white space 

devices could use the guard bands. 

Based on our preliminary analysis, 

discussed below, we also assume a three 

megahertz frequency separation 

between the white space devices and 

the handset receive band to offset a 

worst case interference distance of less 

than seven meters. Our preliminary 

analysis is based on conservative 

assumptions, and intended as a starting 

point for purposes of developing a 

record on these issues. There are 

numerous ways to conduct interference 

analyses and each depends on a number 

of assumptions, such as filter 

characteristics, the propagation model 

and miscellaneous losses (e.g., body 

loss, polarization mismatch, etc.). In 

addition, the Commission notes that 

there is a lack of real world testing 

between white space transmitters and 

LTE receivers, and we invite 

manufacturers and other interested 

parties to submit data and test results to 

the record in this proceeding. 

Nevertheless, we believe that under 

reasonable conditions white space 

devices can operate in the duplex gap 

and guard bands without causing 

harmful interference to LTE receivers. 

64. In the Incentive Auction 

proceeding, Qualcomm has submitted 

analyses purportedly showing that 

unlicensed use in the guard bands and 

duplex gap is not feasible without 

extremely large frequency separations 

from licensed services and Broadcom 

has submitted analyses to the contrary. 

Both parties’ analyses rely on the 3GPP 

industry standards which define the 

onset of blocking interference at more 

than a five percent degradation in 

throughput. While the Commission does 

not go into the merits of these analyses 

here, our preliminary analysis also 

relies on the 3GPP standard for 

frequencies closest to the 600 MHz band 

as a starting point. However, the 

Commission notes that these standards 

contain minimum specifications and 

equipment used by wireless carriers 

may significantly exceed these 

minimums. 

65. This standard sets a floor of ¥97 

dBm for LTE receiver sensitivity and an 

adjacent channel selectivity of 33 dB. 

The Commission believes it is 

reasonable to assume at least 25 dB of 

additional loss over any path loss to 

include an additional 10 dB for adjacent 

channel selectivity plus an additional 

15 dB of loss due to a combination of 

obstructions, body loss and antenna 

polarization mismatch, etc. The 

Commission further assumes a 

minimum of three megahertz frequency 

separation between white space devices 

and LTE receivers, resulting in a seven 

dB pass band filter attenuation. The 

Commission calculated the required 

separation distances using the TM 91– 

1 model. In doing so, it assumes a white 

space device with a maximum EIRP of 

40 milliwatts and an antenna height of 

three meters, which is the lowest 

antenna height the part 15 rules specify 

for white space devices. The 

Commission also assumes a 1.5 meter 

LTE handset height, which we believe is 

representative of typical wireless 

handset use. Based on these 

assumptions, our calculations show a 

worst case interference distance of less 

than seven meters. 

66. While the Commission recognizes 

there may be concerns about the 

potential for interference to wireless 

handsets at seven meters, we emphasize 

that our preliminary analysis is a static, 

worst case analysis that does not 

consider many other factors that would 

tend to reduce this distance. For 

example, it does not take into account 

the behavior of deployed networks 

which manage operating channels and 

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handset power in noisy conditions to 

ensure the best possible connection, nor 

does it take into account the 

probabilistic nature of the conditions 

that lead to an interference situation. 

For example, if an LTE handset is 

operating at the edge of coverage on a 

frequency at the edge of the band closest 

to the guard band in very close 

proximity to a white space device, the 

white space device, which must 

incorporate transmit power control, will 

limit its operating power to the 

minimum necessary for successful 

communication, so its power will often 

be less than the maximum on which we 

based our preliminary analysis. 

Additionally analyses that are based on 

the onset of blocking may not rise to the 

threshold of harmful interference if one 

considers transmission protocols and 

modulation schemes which are 

designed to facilitate operations when 

conditions are less than ideal by 

incorporating coding, bit interleaving, 

and retransmission events when 

necessary. Finally, the Commission 

notes that based on device and spectrum 

usage evolution, manufacturers have 

incorporated a range of unlicensed and 

licensed bands into devices and we 

expect that this will be the case with 

white space devices too. Given that 

there is some time prior to networks 

being deployed, we expect 

manufacturers to improve filter 

technology and designs to ensure a 

minimum potential for harmful 

interference. 

67. In the guard band scenarios 

discussed, the Commission is proposing 

to allow white space devices to 

generally operate in the guard bands 

and the duplex gap at a maximum 

power level of 40 milliwatts and a three 

megahertz frequency separation from 

the handset receive band. The 

Commission seeks comment on this 

proposal. The Commission invites 

comment on the assumptions we make 

for wireless broadband service to the 

public by both licensed services and 

unlicensed devices. Parties that disagree 

are requested to provide their own 

assumptions, including what frequency 

separations are needed to protect 

wireless services from harmful 

interference, along with justification 

and analysis. The Commission also ask 

those parties who advocate against use 

of the guard bands for unlicensed use to 

provide details on what services they 

believe could operate there and under 

what operating conditions, so that 

valuable spectrum does not lay fallow. 

Parties should address how white space 

use in each scenario below would 

satisfy the Spectrum Act’s requirement 

that no harmful interference is caused to 

licensed services. 

68. Eleven megahertz guard band. 

Fixed and personal/portable white 

space devices could operate in the lower 

six megahertz portion of the guard band, 

adjacent to broadcast TV spectrum, 

leaving a five megahertz separation to 

wireless downlink services at the upper 

portion of the band. In this case, under 

the existing white space rules, the white 

space devices could operate at 40 

milliwatts adjacent to an operating TV 

station and 100 milliwatts if the 

adjacent station is vacant. The 

Commission proposes that white space 

devices be permitted to operate at 40 

milliwatts so long as it maintains a three 

megahertz separation distance from the 

lower edge of the band where handsets 

will receive. Is the 40 milliwatt power 

level useful for unlicensed devices? 

Should we permit operation up to 100 

milliwatts if the white space device can 

maintain 4 or 5 megahertz separation 

from the handset receive band and 

satisfy the conditions for protecting TV 

reception as well as the necessary 

distance separation from adjacent base 

stations? Would a different power level 

be used? 

69. Nine megahertz guard band. The 

Commission proposes that fixed and 

personal/portable white space devices 

could operate at 40 milliwatts in the 

lower six megahertz portion of the guard 

band adjacent to broadcast TV 

spectrum, leaving three megahertz 

separation to wireless services. The 

Commission believes this would 

adequately protect handsets from 

harmful interference while providing an 

opportunity for unlicensed devices to 

operate. The Commission seeks 

comment on this proposal and asks if 

there are other operating scenarios for 

the nine megahertz guard band that 

could be adopted to provide for 

unlicensed device use while protecting 

wireless handsets. 

70. Seven megahertz guard band. In 

this case, if fixed and personal/portable 

white space devices operated adjacent 

to the broadcast TV band at the lower 

end of the guard band, there would be 

only one megahertz separation to 

wireless downlink services at the upper 

end of the band. Under this situation, 

could we provide for 40 milliwatt white 

space device operation? Alternatively, 

could white space devices operate at 

reduced power with only one megahertz 

of separation from broadband 

downlinks and still protect those 

operations? What power level and 

separation distance would provide for 

such operation? Another option is to 

restrict white space devices to a four 

megahertz bandwidth to maintain three 

megahertz separation from broadband 

downlinks. Is the current white space 

equipment capable of such operation? Is 

there a market for operating in this 

manner as it would necessitate slower 

data rates? What parameters in terms of 

power and separation distance would be 

required to ensure operation of all 

services? The Commission seeks 

comment on the appropriate power 

limits and frequency separations for 

white space devices to protect both TV 

and wireless services in this case. 

71. Three megahertz plus channel 37. 

In the case where 84 megahertz of 

spectrum is recovered in the auction, 

the guard band between wireless 

downlink services and TV spectrum 

will consist of channel 37 plus a three 

megahertz guard band. The purpose of 

the three megahertz guard band is 

primarily to protect the WMTS and RAS 

on channel 37 from interference from 

wireless downlink services, but it also 

would protect wireless downlink 

services from harmful interference from 

white space devices operating on 

channel 37. If we determine that less 

than three megahertz separation is 

needed to protect part 27 services, could 

fixed or personal/portable devices make 

use of any portion of this three 

megahertz band? The Commission seeks 

comment on whether any types of low 

power, narrowband devices could use 

this guard band without causing 

harmful interference to licensed services 

in the adjacent bands. Is so, what types 

of devices and at what power levels and 

bandwidths? 

3. 600 MHz Duplex Gap 

a. Types of Permitted Operations 

72. The 600 MHz Band includes a 

duplex gap of 11 megahertz between the 

wireless uplink and downlink services 

bands to prevent harmful interference 

between them. The frequency range of 

this duplex gap will depend on the 

outcome of the incentive auction, but 

the size of the band will be the same 

nationwide, regardless of whether there 

is any market variation in the amount of 

spectrum recovered in certain areas. 

Wireless downlink services will operate 

in the lower adjacent spectrum to the 

duplex gap, and wireless uplink 

services will operate in the upper 

adjacent spectrum to the duplex gap. In 

the Incentive Auction R&O, the 

Commission concluded that the public 

interest would be served by allowing 

broadcasters and cable programming 

networks to use wireless microphones 

on a licensed basis in a portion of the 

duplex gap and to obtain interference 

protection from unlicensed devices at 

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needed basis. The Commission decided 

that it would in a future proceeding 

examine how best to provide access to 

a portion of the duplex gap by licensed 

wireless microphone users, while also 

ensuring that unlicensed users of the 

duplex gap can make use of this 

spectrum to provide broadband services. 

It anticipated that the duplex gap could 

be partitioned such that six megahertz 

would be available for unlicensed 

broadband devices to operate under the 

existing white space rules for 40 

milliwatt personal/portable devices, and 

four megahertz adjacent to the wireless 

downlink services band would be 

available for licensed wireless 

microphone operations. This approach 

would leave one megahertz available for 

use as a buffer to protect licensed 

wireless services. 

73. There are several different ways to 

divide the duplex gap to accommodate 

wireless microphones and white space 

devices, although there are trade-offs 

with each one. As an initial proposal, 

the Commission proposes to allow 

unlicensed operations, including both 

fixed and personal/portable white space 

devices and unlicensed microphones, to 

operate in the six megahertz band 

segment at the upper end of the duplex 

gap. It also proposes to allow licensed 

wireless microphones to operate in the 

four megahertz band segment 

immediately below this six megahertz 

segment. The Commission further 

proposes to use the remaining portion of 

the duplex gap spectrum to provide a 

one megahertz frequency separation 

between licensed wireless microphones 

and wireless downlinks in the spectrum 

below the duplex gap, thereby providing 

an additional margin of interference 

protection to mobile handsets. Thus, 

licensed wireless microphones would 

be able to operate in the band between 

one and five megahertz above the lower 

end of the duplex gap, and unlicensed 

devices, including wireless 

microphones, would be able to operate 

in the band from five to eleven 

megahertz above the lower end of the 

duplex gap. 

74. The Commission believes that 

providing a six megahertz band for 

unlicensed devices is appropriate since 

that is the minimum size that many 

parties indicated is useful for 

unlicensed uses, and it is consistent 

with the current fixed and personal/

portable white space rules. 

Additionally, it believes that a four 

megahertz segment of the duplex gap 

will be useful for licensed wireless 

microphones that are used on short 

NPRM since it will be available 

nationwide. Manufacturers have 

indicated that as many as 16 wireless 

microphones can operate in a six 

megahertz channel, and while we are 

proposing a smaller channel size here, 

manufacturers should still be able to get 

a substantial number of microphones to 

operate in it. 

75. The Commission is not proposing 

to provide a guard band between 

licensed wireless microphones and 

unlicensed white space devices, since 

white space devices must comply with 

low emission limits outside their 

channel of operation. Also, wireless 

microphones that operate in this 

spectrum use narrow (no greater than 

200 kilohertz) bandwidths and many 

can operate close together within a six 

megahertz channel, so we expect their 

receivers to have good selectivity. Thus, 

the Commission believes that there is a 

low risk of unlicensed white space 

devices causing interference to licensed 

wireless microphones in the adjacent 

band. 

76. The Commission seeks comment 

on this proposal for partitioning of the 

duplex gap between licensed wireless 

microphones and unlicensed white 

space devices and unlicensed wireless 

microphones. Our proposed split 

maximizes the frequency separation 

between a six megahertz segment of the 

duplex gap for unlicensed use and 

wireless downlink spectrum, thereby 

reducing the risk of interference to those 

adjacent band services as required by 

the Spectrum Act, but it does not 

provide any frequency separation 

between the six megahertz unlicensed 

segment and wireless uplink spectrum 

used for base stations. The one 

megahertz separation at the lower end of 

the duplex gap provides an additional 

margin of interference protection to 

wireless handsets from licensed 

wireless microphones. The Commission 

also seeks comment on other possible 

partitioning scenarios and whether 

other approaches would provide 

interference protection to adjacent 

wireless uplink and downlink services 

while maximizing use of the spectrum. 

For example, should the one megahertz 

buffer be located at the upper end of the 

duplex gap? Is it needed to provide 

increased interference protection to 

wireless uplink spectrum from 

unlicensed operations operating in a six 

megahertz bandwidth? If so, how would 

this scenario affect the operation of 

licensed microphones in the lower 

duplex gap? Could licensed wireless 

microphones operate in the lower four 

megahertz portion of the duplex gap 

without a one megahertz buffer to 

separate them from wireless downlink 

spectrum? Would that approach 

increase the interference risk to either 

licensed wireless microphones or 

wireless downlink spectrum? Do we 

need a buffer at both ends of the duplex 

gap to protect both wireless uplink and 

downlink services? If so, what size 

buffers are appropriate and how would 

increasing the number or size of those 

buffers affect the available spectrum for 

unlicensed white space and wireless 

microphone users? For example, if we 

were to require a one megahertz buffer 

at each end of the duplex gap, should 

we allow only three megahertz of 

spectrum for licensed wireless 

microphones at the lower end of the 

duplex gap and six megahertz for white 

space devices and unlicensed wireless 

microphones at the upper end? Parties 

should address how white space use in 

each scenario above would satisfy the 

Spectrum Act’s requirement that no 

harmful interference is caused to 

licensed services. 

b. Technical Rules for Fixed and 

Personal/Portable Operations 

77. The Commission proposes to 

allow fixed and personal/portable white 

space devices to operate in the six 

megahertz segment of the duplex gap 

described above with a power level of 

40 milliwatts. This is consistent with 

our proposal to allow 40 milliwatt white 

space device operation in the guard 

bands. The Commission does not 

believe that a buffer is necessary to 

protect wireless uplink services above 

the duplex gap since the receivers of 

interest are those in base stations, and 

it expects there to be a greater 

separation distance from base station 

receivers than from mobile receivers, 

thus reducing the likelihood of harmful 

interference. The Commission seeks 

comment on this proposal. Is the 40 

milliwatt power level useful for 

unlicensed devices? Would the 

proposed power level and frequency 

separation adequately protect wireless 

uplink services in the upper adjacent 

band? Do we need to limit the HAAT of 

fixed devices to minimize the 

possibility of interference to licensed 

services outside the duplex gap and 

licensed wireless microphones within 

the duplex gap? 

4. Channel 37 

78. The WMTS is used for remote 

monitoring of patients’ vital signs and 

other important health parameters (e.g., 

pulse and respiration rates) inside 

medical facilities. WMTS includes 

devices that transport the data via a 

radio link to a remote location, such as 

a nurses’ station, which is equipped 

with a specialized radio receiver. 

WMTS operates licensed stations on 

three bands, including 608–614 MHz 

(channel 37) in the UHF band. Health 

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care institutions are required to register 

their locations and coordinate the use of 

all three bands through the American 

Society for Health Care Engineering 

(ASHE) of the American Hospital 

Association—the designated frequency 

coordinator—prior to commencing 

operation. This process minimizes the 

potential of WMTS users from causing 

harmful interference to, and receiving 

harmful interference from, other WMTS 

devices. 

79. RAS is a receive-only service that 

uses highly sensitive receivers to 

examine and study radio waves of 

cosmic origin. There are twelve RAS 

telescopes that have been using channel 

37 or plan to use channel 37 in the near 

future. Of them, ten comprise the 

National Radio Astronomy 

Observatory’s (NRAO’s) Very Long 

Baseline Array (VLBA), which are 

distributed in several locations in the 

United States and its territories, and 

collect simultaneous observations that 

are combined to emulate a single 

telescope 5000 miles in diameter. The 

remaining two telescopes are single dish 

instruments. The Commission protects 

RAS from in-band harmful interference 

by imposing field strength limits on 

WMTS and requiring coordination of 

WMTS use within certain distances of 

RAS observatories. 

80. In the Incentive Auction R&O, the 

Commission decided to permit 

unlicensed operations on channel 37, 

subject to the development of the 

appropriate technical parameters for 

such operations to protect the WMTS 

and RAS from harmful interference. It 

stated that authorizing the use of 

channel 37 for unlicensed operations 

would make additional spectrum 

available for unlicensed devices in areas 

of the country that are not in close 

proximity to hospitals or other medical 

facilities that use WMTS equipment, or 

to RAS sites. 

81. The Commission recognizes the 

importance of WMTS to patient care, 

and will remain mindful of this critical 

function when developing these 

technical parameters. In this NPRM, the 

Commission proposes technical 

parameters below to protect the WMTS 

and RAS from harmful interference and 

will develop a full record on the issues 

raised in this proceeding before 

adopting final rules. 

a. Power Limits and Separation 

Distances 

82. General technical requirements. 

There are several different approaches 

that could be taken regarding the types 

of white space devices that we would 

permit to operate on channel 37. The 

most cautious approach would be to 

limit operations on channel 37 to fixed 

devices only and to require registration 

of the locations where the devices are 

used in the white spaces database. Fixed 

devices are required to register their 

location and operator information in the 

white spaces database because the rules 

permit them to operate at higher power 

than personal/portable devices. The 

registration requirement makes fixed 

devices easer to locate in the event 

harmful interference occurs. Another 

approach would be to allow both fixed 

and Mode II personal/portable devices 

to operate on channel 37. Like fixed 

devices, Mode II devices must 

incorporate geo-location and database 

access capabilities. Unlike fixed 

devices, they are not required to register 

with the database since their maximum 

permitted power is lower than that 

allowed for fixed devices, and their 

operating location changes frequently. A 

third approach would be to allow fixed 

and both Mode I and Mode II personal/ 

portable devices to operate on channel 

37. Mode I devices are not required to 

incorporate a geo-location capability 

and obtain their list of available 

channels from a fixed or Mode II device 

that is within their transmission range. 

Thus, the separation distances we 

calculate below to protect the WMTS 

and RAS may need to be increased if 

Mode I devices are permitted to operate 

on or adjacent to channel 37. 

83. The Commission seeks comment 

on the types of white space devices that 

should be permitted to operate on 

channel 37. If we allow personal/

portable devices to operate on channel 

37, should we require them to register 

with the white spaces database, and if 

so, what registration information should 

be required? What interference concerns 

are raised by allowing personal/portable 

devices on channel 37, and how could 

these be addressed, particularly those 

involving Mode I devices? Are there 

technology solutions or other means to 

mitigate the risk? Would we need to 

specify greater separation distances for 

personal/portable devices than for fixed 

devices of comparable power levels? If 

we initially allow only fixed devices on 

channel 37, should we then allow 

personal/portable devices at a later date 

once we have confidence that they will 

not cause harmful interference to the 

WMTS and RAS? The Commission 

seeks comment on any studies that 

address the interference potential of 

personal/portable devices to the WMTS 

and RAS. 

84. The Commission proposes to 

allow the same maximum four watt 

EIRP for channel 37 fixed white space 

devices that is allowed for fixed devices 

in the TV bands. If we allow personal/ 

portable devices on channel 37, we 

propose that the maximum EIRP would 

be 100 milliwatts, consistent with the 

current rules for operation in the TV 

bands. However, as discussed, these 

power levels may need to be reduced 

depending on what devices operate in 

the adjacent bands. The Commission 

also proposes to require white space 

devices on channel 37 to meet the other 

technical requirements for white space 

devices, including the conducted 

power, antenna gain and PSD limits as 

appropriate. The Commission further 

proposes that these devices must access 

a database over the internet to 

determine if channel 37 is available at 

their location, meaning that the location 

is sufficiently far removed from all 

WMTS and RAS sites to avoid causing 

harmful interference. The required 

separation distances are discussed in 

the following paragraphs. 

85. Power limits. The maximum 

power at which an unlicensed device 

can operate may be limited based upon 

the need to protect authorized services 

in adjacent bands, in addition to 

services in the same band. For example, 

neither the current rules nor our 

proposals discussed above permit fixed 

devices to operate at four watts in bands 

immediately adjacent to occupied TV 

channels. Currently, the adjacent 

spectrum bands to channel 37 (channels 

36 and 38) are allocated for TV 

broadcasting. After the incentive 

auction, this situation may or may not 

change depending upon the amount of 

spectrum recovered in the auction. 

There are three possible scenarios. First, 

if less than 84 megahertz of spectrum is 

recovered, channels 36 and 38 will 

continue to be available for TV 

broadcasting, so there will be essentially 

no change from the current situation. 

Second, if exactly 84 megahertz of 

spectrum is recovered, channel 36 will 

continue to be available for TV 

broadcasting, while channel 38 will not. 

Instead, there will be a three megahertz 

guard band directly above channel 37 

which will separate channel 37 from 

licensed wireless downlink spectrum. 

Third, if more than 84 megahertz of 

spectrum is recovered, there will be 

three megahertz guard bands above and 

below channel 37 to separate channel 37 

from licensed wireless downlink 

spectrum. 

86. Under the first scenario, channel 

37 in a particular location could be 

treated similarly to any other television 

channel, provided it is sufficiently far 

removed from the WMTS and RAS to 

avoid harmful interference. The 

Commission therefore proposes to 

permit fixed white space devices to 

operate with an EIRP of up to four watts 

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on channel 37, provided channels 36 

and 38 are also vacant. If we allow 

personal/portable device operation, we 

propose that the maximum EIRP would 

be limited to 100 milliwatts in this 

scenario. In locations where channel 37 

is available, but both channels 36 and 

38 are occupied, the Commission 

proposes to allow a maximum allowable 

power of 40 milliwatts to protect 

television services on the adjacent 

channels. In locations where channel 37 

is available, but only one of the adjacent 

channels is occupied, the Commission 

proposes to allow fixed unlicensed 

device operation with a maximum 

power of 4 watts EIRP, where the device 

operates in the six megahertz band 

centered on the boundaries of channel 

37 and the unoccupied channel. 

87. Under the second scenario (84 

megahertz recovered), the Commission 

proposes to allow a maximum white 

space device power of 40 milliwatts 

EIRP on channel 37 to protect wireless 

downlink services that will be three 

megahertz above channel 37 and to 

protect television on channel 36 if that 

channel is occupied. If channel 36 is 

vacant, a white space device could also 

operate at 40 milliwatts, and possibly 

higher, in a six megahertz band centered 

on the boundary of channels 36 and 37, 

leaving a three megahertz separation 

from channel 35 and a six megahertz 

separation from wireless downlink 

spectrum. 

88. Under the third scenario (more 

than 84 megahertz recovered), we 

propose to allow a maximum white 

space device power of 40 milliwatts on 

channel 37 where there will be a three 

megahertz guard band on each side of 

channel 37 to protect licensed wireless 

downlink services in the adjacent 

bands. 

89. The Commission seeks comment 

on these proposals. In particular, it 

seeks comment on the appropriateness 

of the proposed power limits for white 

space devices in each of these scenarios. 

Should these limits be lower to reduce 

the likelihood of harmful interference to 

the WMTS, RAS and wireless downlink 

services? Conversely, could the 

proposed limits be higher without a risk 

of harmful interference? For example, 

could a white space device operate at 

power levels higher than 40 milliwatts 

under the second scenario with a three 

megahertz separation to TV and a six 

megahertz separation to wireless 

downlink services? If so, what is the 

maximum power that could be used? 

Should we allow a fixed device power 

limit on channel 37 that is higher than 

four watts in rural areas under those 

scenarios where we propose a four watt 

limit? 

90. Determination of WMTS 

separation distances. WMTS systems 

typically consist of small patient-worn 

transmitters and receive antennas 

located within a healthcare facility. 

According to GE, WMTS transmitters 

are frequency-division multiplexed with 

typical occupied bandwidth of 10 kHz 

and a relatively low transmit power of 

less than 0 dBm (1 milliwatt) to extend 

battery life. GE argues that, to prevent 

interference to the WMTS, the signal 

level at the perimeter of a registered 

WMTS facility should not exceed 10 

microvolts per meter within a 100 

kilohertz bandwidth on channel 37, or 

20 millivolts per meter within a one 

megahertz bandwidth on channels 36 

and 38. 

91. The Commission calculated the 

minimum co-channel separation 

distances that would be required for 

white space devices to meet GE’s 

recommended field strength limit for 

channel 37. It used the TM 91–1 

propagation model and white space 

device power levels that range from 40 

milliwatts to 4,000 milliwatts in four dB 

steps. The Commission assumed that 

the WMTS transmitter would be at 10 

meter height above ground, which is the 

highest height specified in the ASHE/

AHA database, and used the same range 

of HAAT currently specified in the rules 

for fixed white space devices. 

92. The Commission calculated the 

minimum required adjacent channel 

separation distances in two different 

ways using the same basic methodology 

that we used to determine the cochannel separation distances (TM 91–1 

model, WMTS height of 10 meters, same 

range of white space device power and 

HAAT). First, it calculated the distances 

considering receiver ‘‘blocking’’ using 

the field strength limits on channels 36 

and 38 that GE recommended to avoid 

interference. We then considered the 

out-of-band emission power that would 

fall into channel 37 from white space 

devices operating on channels 36 and 38 

and calculated the minimum required 

separation distances based on GE’s 

recommended field strength limit on 

channel 37. Based on our analysis, the 

effect of receiver blocking is greater than 

the effect of out-of-band emissions, so 

we considered receiver blocking in 

determining the minimum required 

separation distances. 

93. The calculated co-channel and 

adjacent channel separation distances 

based on our methodology are shown in 

the two tables in paragraph 112 of the 

NPRM. These are the distances that 

would be required between a white 

space device and an individual WMTS 

receiver, and not the total distance that 

would be required to protect WMTS use 

that relies on large distributed antenna 

systems throughout buildings and that 

may be spread out across a large facility 

but represented by only single point in 

the database. The separation distances 

are rounded to the nearest tenth of a 

kilometer. In cases where the calculated 

adjacent channel separation distance is 

less than one tenth of a kilometer, we 

listed a separation of one tenth of a 

kilometer to avoid specifying extremely 

small distances. If we allow personal/

portable devices on channel 37, the 

separation distances would be those at 

an HAAT of less than three meters at a 

power level of either 40 milliwatts or 

100 milliwatts, depending on which 

authorized services are in the adjacent 

frequency bands. The Commission seeks 

comment on the appropriateness of 

these separation distances for protecting 

the WMTS as well as our methodology 

used to calculate them. 

94. The current ASHE/AHA database 

allows the registration of only a single 

geographic point, whereas a hospital or 

health care facility is often a large 

building or group of building on a 

campus. The Commission also notes 

that GE stated that its recommended 

protection criteria for the WMTS should 

apply at the perimeter of a facility. For 

these reasons, the Commission expects 

that it will need to increase the 

calculated distances listed above to 

compensate for the fact that a single 

point may not accurately represent 

WMTS usage that could be spread out 

over a large facility. If so, what is the 

appropriate adjustment and why? For 

example, should we simply add an 

additional distance to our calculated 

distances? Alternatively, as discussed in 

the database section, should the 

Commission allow a facility to specify 

multiple points that define a bounded 

area around a large facility that uses the 

WMTS as opposed to specifying a single 

point? 

95. The Commission also seeks 

comment on any ways it can simplify 

the process of protecting the WMTS. For 

example, there are thousands of 

registered WMTS sites, many of which 

are clustered close together in urban 

areas. Could we define exclusion zones 

in urban areas where operation is 

prohibited on channel 37 rather than 

requiring the databases to consider each 

individual WMTS location? If so, how 

should we define the exclusion zones 

and enter this information into the 

white spaces databases? 

96. The Commission further seeks 

comment on whether there are any other 

requirements necessary to protect the 

WMTS. For example, would a limit on 

the HAAT of fixed devices on channel 

37 reduce the potential for interference 

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to the WMTS? Should the Commission 

prohibit the operation of Mode I 

personal/portable devices on channels 

36 and 38 since they rely on another 

device’s geo-location capability and 

could possibly operate slightly closer to 

adjacent channel WMTS locations than 

the device that obtained the list of 

available channels? Alternatively, 

should the Commission limit operation 

on channel 36 and 38 to fixed devices 

only? 

97. Determination of RAS separation 

distances. The Commission proposes 

different protection criteria for the ten 

VLBA stations than for the two single 

dish radio astronomy observatories 

because of their differing potential to 

receive interference. VLBA observations 

are less susceptible to interference than 

single dish observations because 

interfering signals do not correlate 

across the multiple receivers that 

comprise the array. The Commission 

proposes to require that white space 

devices operating on channel 37 comply 

with separation requirements based on 

their operating power to protect the ten 

VLBA observatories, and that they may 

not operate within defined exclusion 

zones around the two single dish 

observatories that receive on channel 

37. 

98. The Commission proposes 

requirements for white space devices to 

protect the VLBA based on the existing 

requirements that protect those stations 

from WMTS stations operating on 

channel 37. Section 95.1115(a) of the 

rules allows a maximum WMTS field 

strength on channel 37 of 200 millivolts 

per meter measured at a distance of 

three meters (this equates to an EIRP of 

approximately 12 mW). Further, 

§ 95.1119(b) specifies that WMTS 

operations within 32 kilometers of the 

ten VLBA sites must coordinate with 

those sites. Using these two 

requirements as a basis, we can 

determine the minimum distance that a 

white space device must be from a 

VLBA site to provide the same level of 

protection as a WMTS transmitter 

located just outside the 32 kilometer 

coordination zone. Using the WMTS 

criterion, we calculate the appropriate 

path loss exponent to be 2.53. Therefore, 

the Commission proposes to calculate 

the separation distances between fixed 

white space devices and VLBA sites 

using a propagation model with a path 

loss exponent of 2.53. This model 

considers only the power of the white 

space device and not its antenna height 

above ground or average terrain. 

99. Based on the foregoing, our 

calculated minimum co-channel 

separation distances between white 

space devices operating on channel 37 

and VLBA sites are as listed in the table 

in paragraph 118 of the NPRM. 

100. The Commission notes that in 

developing this table, factors which 

would act to shorten the protection 

distance such as buildings, mountains, 

trees or other ground clutter were not 

considered. In addition, because VLBA 

stations require very low noise 

environments, most have been 

constructed in remote areas that have 

substantial natural shielding due to the 

fore mentioned obstructions. Also, we 

note that most of these distances would 

be beyond the radio horizon for most, if 

not all, paths between white space 

devices and VLBA sites. 

101. The Commission seeks comment 

on these separation distances and the 

methodology and assumptions used to 

calculate them. In particular, it seeks 

comment on whether these separation 

distances are appropriate for protecting 

the VLBA. Do they provide adequate 

protection to the VLBA? Are they 

greater than necessary to protect the 

VLBA? Should we place a cap on the 

maximum separation distances, such as 

100 kilometers, to account for the fact 

our analysis did not account for any 

factors as mentioned above that would 

act to shorten the required separation 

distances and that radio astronomy sites 

will be beyond the radio horizon in 

most instances? Are the assumptions 

made in our analysis reasonable? For 

example, would a different propagation 

model or different protection criteria for 

the VLBA be more appropriate? Is so, 

what model or criteria should we use to 

determine the minimum separation 

distances? Commenters on this issue 

should provide detailed technical 

criteria and analysis to justify their 

position. 

102. The Commission also seeks 

comment on whether it should establish 

adjacent channel separation distances 

between white space devices operating 

on channels 36 and 38 and the ten 

VLBA observatories. Under the current 

rules, white space devices cannot 

operate on these channels because they 

are reserved for wireless microphones if 

they are not being used by television 

stations. However the Commission will 

allow white space devices to operate on 

these channels if they are still available 

for television broadcasting after the 

incentive auction and are not being used 

by a television station at a white space 

device’s location. Under the current 

rules, white space devices must operate 

at least 2.4 kilometers away from VLBA 

sites, so this requirement would apply 

to white space devices operating on 

channels 36 and 38. Is this adjacent 

channel separation distance adequate to 

protect the VLBA observatories? If not, 

what is the appropriate separation 

distance and why? 

103. With respect to the two single 

dish RAS observatories that receive on 

channel 37 (Green Bank Telescope and 

Arecibo Observatory), § 1.924 of the 

rules defines coordination requirements 

to protect them. Specifically, § 1.924(a) 

requires parties planning to construct 

and operate a new or modified station 

at a permanent fixed location within a 

specified quiet zone around the 

National Radio Astronomy Observatory 

at Green Bank West Virginia to notify 

the observatory in writing of the 

technical details of the proposed 

operation. Similarly, § 1.924(d) requires 

parties planning to construct and 

operate a new station at a permanent 

fixed location on the islands of Puerto 

Rico, Desecheo, Mona, Vieques or 

Culebra to notify the Interference Office 

of the Arecibo Observatory in writing or 

electronically of the technical 

parameters of the planned operation. 

104. Because the Commission does 

not believe it reasonable for operators of 

white space devices to coordinate with 

the Green Bank and Arecibo 

Observatories, and because separation 

distances to protect these observatories 

would be extremely large, the 

Commission is proposing that white 

space devices not operate on channel 37 

within the National Radio Quiet Zone 

around Green Bank or on the islands of 

Puerto Rico, Desecheo, Mona, Vieques 

or Culebra. Much of the quiet zones are 

in less populated areas, and the 

Commission expects that in these areas 

there will be many other channels 

available for white space operation in 

addition to spectrum in the guard bands 

and duplex gap. However, the 

Commission seeks comment on whether 

there are ways to allow operation of 

white space devices on channel 37 

within these areas. For example, are 

there coordination procedures that 

white space device operators and/or 

white space database administrators 

could follow to enable operation in 

these areas? 

105. The Commission also seeks 

comment on whether it could establish 

minimum separation distances that 

white space devices must meet to 

protect the Green Bank Telescope and 

the Arecibo Observatory that would 

affect a smaller area than the existing 

quiet zones. If so, what are the 

appropriate interference assumptions, 

propagation model and separation 

distances? Because we are proposing 

protection criteria for white space 

devices over a range of power levels and 

HAAT, could we establish smaller 

exclusion zones for white space devices 

that operate at lower power levels or 

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lower HAAT? If so, how should we 

determine these zones or separation 

distances? 

b. Guard Bands Adjacent to Channel 37 

106. Under certain spectrum recovery 

scenarios, there will be a three 

megahertz guard band on one or both 

sides of channel 37, resulting in a 

contiguous block of nine or 12 

megahertz of spectrum. The 

Commission seeks comment on whether 

these guard bands could be combined 

with the six megahertz of channel 37 

spectrum in areas where it is not being 

used for the RAS and WMTS to create 

a wider band for white space device use. 

If so, what power level, frequency 

separation and other technical 

requirements would be necessary to 

protect wireless downlink services 

adjacent to these guard bands? 

c. Out-of-Band Emission Limits on 

Channels 36–38 

107. The Commission requires white 

space devices to comply with out-ofband emission limits on channels 36 

through 38 in addition to the adjacent 

channel and § 15.209 limits that white 

space devices must meet on other 

channels. The white space device outof-band emission limit on channel 37 is 

significantly more stringent 

(approximately 25 dB lower) than the 

Section 15.209 limit on this channel. 

Manufacturers must incorporate an 

additional band-reject filter into white 

space devices to comply with the limit 

on channel 37. The high level of 

attenuation needed to meet the limit 

requires a sharp roll-off across channels 

36 and 38, which may extend as far as 

channels 35 and 37, potentially 

precluding the use of all four of those 

channels by white space devices. The 

emission limits on channels 36 through 

38 were originally recommended by GE 

Healthcare to protect the WMTS from 

interference by personal/portable white 

space devices that could be used in 

close proximity to WMTS receive 

antennas. The Commission adopted 

these recommended limits and applied 

them to fixed devices as well as 

personal/portable devices. 

108. The inability of white space 

devices to use channels 36 and 38 was 

not previously a concern since the rules 

did not permit their use by white space 

devices. However, in the Incentive 

Auction R&O, the Commission decided 

to stop reserving two vacant channels 

exclusively for wireless microphones 

and to make them available for both 

white space devices and wireless 

microphones, provided those channels 

are not repurposed for licensed wireless 

broadband use. At the same time, we 

can also take steps to ensure that 

channels 35 and 39 can be used by 

white space devices, provided those 

channels are available after the 

incentive auction. Additionally, because 

the Commission is allowing unlicensed 

devices to operate on channel 37, it 

needs to remove the stringent emission 

limit that applies on that channel. 

109. The Commission is proposing to 

remove the out-of-band emission limits 

that apply on channels 36 through 38 

and instead require white space devices 

to meet either the current adjacent 

channel or the § 15.209 emission limits 

as appropriate. Our proposal to allow 

white space device operation on 

channel 37 requires that the devices 

access a database to ensure that they 

will operate sufficiently far from both 

WMTS and RAS sites to avoid causing 

interference to these services. The 

database will enforce both co-channel 

and adjacent channel separation 

distances from the WMTS, which will 

ensure that emissions that fall within 

channel 37 do not cause harmful 

interference to the WMTS. Thus, there 

will no longer be a need for the more 

stringent out-of-band emission limits on 

channels 36 through 38. This proposed 

change will eliminate the need for white 

space devices to incorporate additional 

filtering that blocks channel 37 and 

impacts the first and second adjacent 

channels, thus making channels 35, 36, 

37, 38 and 39 useable by white space 

devices. The Commission seeks 

comment on this proposal. 

5. Repurposed 600 MHz Band 

110. The Commission is proposing 

technical criteria for protecting licensed 

wireless services that will operate in the 

600 MHz Band from interference from 

white space device operations. These 

criteria will be applicable in two 

situations. First, the Commission 

decided to permit the continued 

operation of white space devices in 

repurposed spectrum except in those 

areas in which a 600 MHz Band licensee 

commences operations. It took this 

action because it expects that 600 MHz 

Band licensees will be commencing 

operations at different places at different 

times, depending on their business 

plans and other factors, both during and 

after the post-auction transition period. 

Some of the repurposed television 

spectrum may not be used for licensed 

wireless services in some areas for a 

considerable amount of time. 

111. Second, the Commission decided 

to allow market variation in developing 

the 600 MHz Band Plan. Therefore, 

some spectrum may be assigned for 

broadcasting in some areas and licensed 

wireless services in others. The 

Commission decided in the Incentive 

Auction R&O to allow the continued use 

of white space devices on all spectrum 

that remains allocated for TV 

broadcasting, which would include that 

spectrum with uses that vary by market. 

Since both white space devices and 

licensed wireless services can 

potentially operate on the same 

frequencies due to market variation, we 

need technical requirements to prevent 

harmful interference between the 

services. 

112. The current white space device 

rules contain protection requirements 

for a variety of services that operate in 

the TV bands, but they do not contain 

protection requirements for licensed 

wireless broadband services as such 

wireless services did not operate in the 

TV bands at the time the Commission 

adopted those rules. Therefore, the 

Commission proposes to develop 

appropriate protection criteria, 

specifically, minimum distance 

separations, to protect these wireless 

services. These criteria will be used by 

the white space databases to ensure that 

unlicensed operations no longer occur 

on a channel in an area in which a 

licensee has commenced operations. 

When a 600 MHz Band licensee plans 

to commence operations on frequencies 

that includes spectrum available for 

unlicensed operations under the rules 

for white space devices, that licensee 

can notify any of the white spaces 

database administrators when and 

where it plans to commence operations. 

The white spaces databases would then 

preclude unlicensed operations in those 

areas on the channels in use for wireless 

systems. We discuss the proposed 

methodology that will be used to place 

600 MHz Band licensee information in 

the databases below. 

113. Consistent with our discussion 

above with respect to the guard bands 

and duplex gap, the Commission seeks 

comment on whether it should allow 

both Mode I and Mode II personal/

portable devices, in addition to fixed 

devices, to operate in the repurposed 

600 MHz band. The Commission asks 

commenters to address the effect that 

any limitation on the permissible types 

of devices in this band may have on the 

development of white space services 

and applications. For commenters that 

believe Mode I personal/portable white 

space devices should be permitted in 

these bands, the Commission seeks 

comment on the typical operating range 

of such a device, as that range will need 

to be incorporated into many of the 

protection distances proposed in the 

sections that follow. With respect to 

Mode II personal/portable devices, the 

current white space rules assume 

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protection distances for these devices 

based on them not operating above three 

meters HAAT. Thus, for all protection 

criteria that follows below, we propose 

that protection from Mode II personal/ 

portable devices be based on operating 

at that low HAAT. The Commission 

seeks comment on this proposal. 

114. Depending on the channel used 

by a white space device, it could be in 

the same band as either wireless uplinks 

or downlinks. Therefore, the 

Commission proposes co- and adjacent 

channel protection criteria for both 

wireless uplinks and downlinks. 

115. Wireless uplinks. Wireless 

uplinks are the transmissions from 

mobile devices to fixed base stations. 

The receivers of concern in developing 

protection criteria are therefore those in 

fixed base stations. The Commission 

proposes that 600 MHz licensees 

provide information to the white space 

databases which defines a polygon 

representing the outer edge of their base 

station deployment. Using that 

information, the Commission proposes 

to protect fixed stations by determining 

the minimum separation distance 

needed between a white space device 

and that polygon to prevent harmful 

interference. Because the amount of 

spectrum available for white space 

devices in this band will shrink over 

time as 600 MHz Band licensees buildout their systems, there is little benefit 

in developing complex criteria to 

manage white space device use in this 

band. Thus, this Commission is taking 

a simple approach in developing 

protection criteria based on the worst 

case of a white space device emission 

fully overlapping the receive band of a 

base station. However, the Commission 

proposes that the co-channel protection 

requirements apply for any amount of 

frequency overlap between a channel 

used by a white space device and a five 

megahertz spectrum block used by a 

part 27 licensee. 

116. To determine the necessary 

separation distance to protect 600 MHz 

Band base stations, we must make 

certain assumptions regarding their 

usage. As already stated the 

Commission is assuming the worst case 

for this preliminary analysis and basing 

the protection distance on 5/6 of the 

total energy of the white space device 

being present in the base station 

receiver pass band. In addition, it 

assumes, consistent with other analysis 

throughout the incentive auction 

proceeding as well as in this instant 

proceeding, that a typical base station 

operates at 30 meters or less above 

ground level and that a white space 

device can operate at various heights up 

to 250 meters above average terrain. 

Further, the Commissions bases its 

analysis on the base station receiver 

sensitivity level of the 3GPP standard of 

¥101.5 dBm for wide area base stations. 

The Commission believes this is the 

correct criteria for this analysis rather 

than assuming actual operation at 10 dB 

or more above this level as in other 

analyses in this proceeding. In those 

analyses, adjacent channel operations 

were being protected mostly in areas of 

high wireless signal levels. However, 

here, we are specifically protecting base 

stations at the outer edge of a 600 MHz 

Band licensees coverage area that are 

providing service to the most distant 

subscribers. Using the TM 91–1 

propagation model, the Commission 

believes the separation distances 

(rounded to the nearest kilometer) from 

the polygon representing the edge of 

base station deployment will protect 

base station operations from harmful 

interference from co-channel white 

space devices, see table in paragraph 

135 of the NPRM. 

117. The Commission therefore 

proposes that white space devices 

adhere to these separation distances 

from the edge of the polygon defining 

the location of base stations as provided 

by the 600 MHz Band licensees, and 

that these criteria will be enforced by 

the white space databases to protect cochannel 600 MHz base stations in the 

repurposed TV spectrum. In making this 

proposal, which provides for a 

maximum separation distance of 60 

kilometers, we recognize that based 

strictly on calculations, the distances 

could be much greater. However, the 

line-of-sight radio horizon for a 30 meter 

high base station antenna and a 250 

meter high white space device antenna 

is 87 kilometers. Thus, there is no 

reason for distances to be greater than 

that. Further, that line-of-sight radio 

horizon assumes perfect atmospheric 

conditions, and the absence of any 

obstructions such as buildings, 

mountains, trees or other ground clutter 

which further acts to reduce actual 

operating range. In addition, although 

the Commission developed these 

distances based on full overlap of the 

white space device’s emissions with the 

base station receiver, there may be many 

cases where the overlap is less and thus, 

these proposed distances will provide 

additional protection. The Commission 

therefore, believes that the 60 kilometer 

maximum separation distance is 

reasonable and seeks comment on this 

proposal. The Commission asks that 

commenters address our assumptions 

and conclusions and provide technical 

information and analysis if they believe 

we should use different criteria or 

whether we should take a different 

approach to protecting these stations. 

118. In the repurposed 600 MHz 

Band, white space devices may also be 

operating on an adjacent channel to 

wireless licensees. In these situations, 

the white space device must comply 

with certain separation distances to 

provide the required protection to avoid 

causing harmful interference. In this 

instance, we are defining adjacent 

channel operations as any overlap of a 

white space device’s six megahertz 

operating channel with any portion of a 

five megahertz block directly adjacent to 

a five megahertz block that is being used 

by a 600 MHz base station. As with our 

proposal for co-channel separation, we 

recognize that in many cases, white 

space devices will operate with a greater 

frequency separation from 600 MHz 

base stations than we use in our 

analysis, but for the same reasons stated 

in the proposal to protect co-channel 

operations, we base our proposed 

separation distances on the worst case 

situation where a white space device 

operates immediately adjacent to a five 

megahertz block used by a 600 MHz 

base station (i.e., with a zero megahertz 

frequency offset). 

119. In conducting our analysis to 

determine the necessary protection 

distances, the Commission assumes, 

similar to our analysis for handset 

protection, that the base station is 

operating 10 dB above its sensitivity 

level of ¥101.5 dBm. The Commission 

also assumes an adjacent channel 

selectivity of 43.5 dB. In addition, we 

assume a wireless base station filter rolloff of 5.7 dB/MHz. Based on these 

assumptions, we calculated the 

separation distance values for white 

space devices to protect 600 MHz 

wireless base stations, see table in 

paragraph 138 of the NPRM. 

120. The Commission therefore 

proposes that white space devices 

operating in the repurposed 600 MHz 

Band maintain these adjacent channel 

separation distances from the edges of 

the boundary defined by the 600 MHz 

Band licensees defining the area in 

which their base stations are located. 

This requirement will be enforced 

through the white space databases. The 

Commission seeks comment on this 

proposal and our assumptions. 

Commenters who believe that different 

separation criteria are needed should 

provide detailed comments and analysis 

containing all assumptions and analysis. 

121. Wireless downlinks. Wireless 

downlinks are the transmissions from 

fixed base stations to mobile devices. 

The receivers of concern in developing 

protection criteria in the wireless 

downlink spectrum are therefore the 

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mobile device’s receivers. A database 

cannot track the constantly changing 

locations of mobile devices, so the 

protection criteria must be based on 

base station location. The Commission 

proposes to calculate the required 

separation distances as follows. First, it 

proposes to define the minimum 

separation distance necessary to protect 

a mobile device from interference from 

a white space device. Then it proposes 

to define a maximum distance from base 

stations at which mobile devices would 

typically operate. The minimum 

required separation distance from the 

boundary of the area in which base 

stations operate would be the sum of 

these two distances. 

122. As with our approach for base 

stations, our goal is to provide a simple 

mechanism for protecting 600 MHz 

Band handsets from co-channel 

interference from white space devices. 

For our preliminary analysis, we use the 

same assumptions as for the analysis for 

base stations above except that we use 

the handset sensitivity of ¥97 dBm and 

assume that handsets operate 1.5 meters 

above the ground. Based on those 

assumptions, the Commission 

calculated the separation distances to 

protect 600 MHz Band handsets from 

white space devices, see table in 

paragraph 141 of the NPRM. 

123. Inspecting this table reveals that 

the protection distance for white space 

devices operating at maximum height 

are not that much greater than for those 

operating near ground level. Therefore, 

for simplicity, we will base our proposal 

only on the single separation distance 

corresponding to the largest 

calculated—4.2 km. To calculate the 

total separation distance from a base 

station to protect handsets, we must also 

provide a maximum distance from a 600 

MHz band base station at which mobile 

devices would typically operate. We 

believe that assuming a maximum of 30 

km for this distance is reasonable. The 

Commission therefore proposes that 

personal/portable white space devices 

maintain a minimum distance of 35 

kilometers from the edge of the carrier’s 

defined base station deployment. This 

distance will be enforced through the 

white space databases. The Commission 

seeks comment on this proposal and our 

assumptions and asks that commenters 

who disagree provide detailed technical 

analysis supporting their conclusions. 

124. As with protection of adjacent 

channel 600 MHz base stations, we also 

need criteria to protect adjacent channel 

handsets. Using the same assumptions 

for handsets as used above for 

interference analysis between wireless 

handsets in the duplex gap and white 

space devices and assuming the worst 

case of no frequency separation between 

the edge of the handset receive band 

and the white space transmit band, we 

calculated the separation distances to 

protect handsets from interference, see 

table in paragraph 143 of the NPRM. 

125. Under the same reasoning as 

used above; that is assuming a 

maximum 30 kilometer service areas for 

wireless handsets around a base station, 

and using the largest protection distance 

calculated, the Commission proposes 

that white space devices operating 

adjacent channel to 600 MHz systems 

maintain a 31 kilometer distance from 

the edge of the area defined by the 

wireless licensees that contains their 

base stations. The Commission seeks 

comment on this proposal and our 

assumptions and ask that commenters 

who disagree provide detailed technical 

analysis supporting their conclusions. 

B. Wireless Microphones 

126. In 2010, the Commission issued 

a waiver to permit unlicensed wireless 

microphones in the television bands 

under part 15 pursuant to certain 

technical rules. The Commission stated 

that this waiver would remain in place 

until such time as final rules for their 

operations were established. The 

Commission also sought comment on 

proposed part 15 rules for unlicensed 

wireless microphone operations in the 

TV bands. In particular, the Commission 

proposed to define these devices as 

intentional radiators used to transmit 

voice, music, or other audio material 

over short distances. It also proposed to 

permit these devices to operate with a 

power level to the antenna of up to 50 

milliwatts in both the VHF and UHF TV 

bands, and proposed technical rules that 

were in many respects similar to the 

technical rules applicable to devices 

licensed under part 74 as low power 

auxiliary stations. 

127. The Commission continues to 

believe that it should codify part 15 

rules for the operation of unlicensed 

wireless microphones in the TV bands, 

but we believe that the Commission’s 

2010 proposals should be modified for 

a number of reasons. Subsequent to 

these proposals, the Commission 

adopted rules for the incentive auction, 

which will reduce the number of TV 

channels where wireless microphones 

can operate. The Incentive Auction 

R&O, also changed the method for 

determining the minimum separation 

between licensed part 74 wireless 

microphones and co-channel TV 

stations, and the Commission believes it 

should consider the same approach for 

unlicensed wireless microphones. In 

addition, because there will be less TV 

spectrum available for wireless 

microphones after the incentive auction, 

the Commission believes it should 

consider modifying the out-of-band 

emission limits for wireless 

microphones to enable more efficient 

spectrum use. Finally, upon further 

consideration, we believe that the 

Commission’s previous proposed 

definition for unlicensed wireless 

microphones is overly broad and should 

be modified. Thus, the proposals in this 

NPRM supersede those made by the 

Commission in the 2010. The 

Commission will therefore not carry 

over the record from the previous 

proceeding concerning the proposals to 

codify part 15 rules for unlicensed 

wireless microphones. Parties that wish 

to comment on this issue must file 

comments in this proceeding. 

1. Unlicensed Wireless Microphones in 

the TV Bands 

128. Definition of unlicensed wireless 

microphones in part 15. The 

Commission proposes to define a 

wireless microphone as a device that 

converts sound into electrical audio 

signals that are transmitted using radio 

signals to a receiver which converts the 

radio signals back into audio signals 

that are sent through a sound recording 

or amplifying system. The Commission 

also proposes that wireless microphones 

may be used for cue and control 

communications and synchronization of 

TV camera signals as defined in 

§ 74.801. The Commission further 

proposes that this definition would not 

include auditory assistance devices as 

defined in§ 15.3(a). The commission 

believes that this definition would 

encompass the types of wireless 

microphones that currently operate 

within the TV bands, but is not so broad 

as to encompass other types of 

unlicensed devices that already have 

provisions in part 15 for operation 

outside the TV bands. The Commission 

seeks comment on this definition. 

129. Permissible frequencies of 

operation. The Commission proposes to 

allow unlicensed wireless microphones 

to operate in the TV spectrum on 

channels 2–51, excluding channel 37 in 

all locations and channel 17 in Hawaii, 

which is allocated for non-broadcast 

purposes. Since the number of TV 

channels that will be available for 

unlicensed wireless microphones will 

be reduced after the incentive auction, 

the Commission also proposes to add an 

advisory in the rules indicating that the 

highest channel available for wireless 

microphones will be determined by the 

outcome of the incentive auction and 

will be modified consistent with the 

auction results. The Commission seeks 

comment on these proposals. The 

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Commission also seeks comment on 

whether it should allow unlicensed 

wireless microphone operation on 

channels 14–20 in locations where the 

PLMRS/CMRS operates and whether 

there is a need to establish protection 

criteria for these services. 

130. To prevent harmful interference 

to co-channel TV stations, the 

Commission proposes to require 

unlicensed wireless microphones to 

operate at least four kilometers outside 

the following protected service contours 

of co-channel TV stations, which is the 

same protection requirement that the 

Commission adopted in the Incentive 

Auction R&O for part 74 wireless 

microphones, see table in paragraph 150 

of the NPRM. 

131. Technical requirements for 

unlicensed wireless microphones. 

Consistent with the current technical 

rules that apply under the existing part 

15 waiver and the Commission’s 

previous proposals, we propose to 

permit wireless microphones to operate 

with a power level to the antenna of up 

to 50 milliwatts in both the VHF and 

UHF TV bands. The Commission 

expects that this proposed power level 

is appropriate for most users, 

particularly because we expect that 

parties using part 15 wireless 

microphones will typically be entities 

operating in smaller venues that do not 

require the longer range operation that 

higher power allows. The Commission 

seeks comment on the appropriateness 

of this power level. The Commission 

also seeks comment on whether the 

equipment certification rules should 

prohibit component parts such as 

amplifiers from being attached aftermarket to a microphone and whether 

the rules should specify a maximum 

field strength or other emission limits 

(e.g., EIRP) for equipment instead of a 

conducted power level. 

132. The Commission proposes to 

require unlicensed wireless 

microphones to comply with the same 

channelization, frequency stability, and 

bandwidth requirements as part 74 

wireless microphones. Specifically, it 

proposes to require that operation be 

offset from the upper or lower channel 

edge by 25 kHz or an integral multiple 

thereof and that the operating frequency 

tolerance be 0.005 percent. The 

Commission also proposes to specify 

that one or more adjacent 25 kHz 

segments within a TV channel may be 

combined to form an operating channel 

with a maximum bandwidth not to 

exceed 200 kHz. Consistent with the 

measurement requirements for other 

part 15 transmitters, the Commission 

further proposes to require that the 

frequency tolerance be maintained over 

a temperature variation of ¥20 degrees 

to +50 degrees C at normal supply 

voltage, for a variation in the supply 

voltage from 85 percent to 115 percent 

of the rated supply voltage at a 

temperature of 20 degrees C, and that 

battery operated equipment be tested 

using a new battery. The Commission 

expects that the proposed 25 kHz offset 

requirement would prevent wireless 

microphones from operating at the edge 

of a TV channel where they could 

interfere with TV stations on adjacent 

channels, and the proposed frequency 

tolerance requirement would ensure 

that devices do not drift from the 

designated frequencies. The limit on the 

bandwidth that a wireless microphone 

may occupy will leave room for 

multiple microphones within a channel. 

The Commission seeks comment on 

these proposals. 

133. The Commission proposes that 

unlicensed wireless microphones 

comply with the same emission mask 

that it is proposing for licensed part 74 

wireless microphones in the Wireless 

Microphones proceeding. Specifically, 

The Commission proposes to require 

that emissions from analog and digital 

unlicensed wireless microphones 

comply with the emission masks in 

ETSI EN 300 422–1, Electromagnetic 

compatibility and Radio spectrum 

Matters (ERM); Wireless microphones in 

the 25 MHz to 3 GHz frequency range; 

Part 1: Technical characteristics and 

methods of measurement. Requiring 

wireless microphones to meet these 

tighter emission requirements will 

protect authorized services in adjacent 

bands from harmful interference, and 

will improve spectrum sharing by 

wireless microphones. In light of the 

fact that there will be fewer vacant TV 

channels available for wireless 

microphones and more intensive use of 

the remaining TV spectrum after the 

incentive auction, the Commission now 

proposes tighter emission limits for 

wireless microphones than it had 

previously proposed in 2010. Shure 

supports Commission adoption of these 

masks, stating that the reduced out-ofband emissions would facilitate tighter 

spacing of wireless microphones 

operating together within a TV channel. 

134. The Commission also proposes to 

require that unlicensed wireless 

microphones comply with the § 15.209 

emission limits outside the frequency 

range where the ETSI masks are defined 

(one megahertz above and below the 

wireless microphone carrier frequency). 

The Commission further proposes that 

emissions would not have to be 

attenuated below the limits in § 15.209, 

even if the ETSI mask would require 

greater attenuation. 

135. The Commission seeks comment 

on these proposals. In particular, it 

seeks comment on the benefits of 

requiring unlicensed wireless 

microphones to comply with the ETSI 

limits, and whether these benefits 

would outweigh the costs. Are these 

limits necessary to protect authorized 

services in adjacent frequency bands? 

To what extent would compliance with 

the proposed limits improve spectrum 

sharing by wireless microphones? 

Would equipment manufacturers have 

difficulty in complying with these 

limits? Do any existing wireless 

microphones already comply with 

them? Are the § 15.209 emission limits 

appropriate beyond the range where the 

ETSI masks are defined, or should the 

limit at the outer edges of the ETSI 

masks (¥90 dBc) apply at frequencies 

more than one megahertz removed from 

the wireless microphone carrier 

frequency? The Commission also seeks 

comment on whether it should specify 

separate emission masks for analog and 

digital microphones, or whether a single 

mask is sufficient. For example, ETSI 

EN 300 422–1 suggests that its mask for 

digital microphones could also be used 

for analog microphones. Should the 

Commission incorporate the ETSI 

standard by reference into the rules, or 

should it simply specify the emission 

mask(s) in the part 15 rules? 

136. Reducing the required separation 

distance between wireless microphones 

and co-channel television stations could 

increase the number of locations where 

wireless microphones could operate. 

The Commission seeks comment on 

whether it could reduce the proposed 

four kilometer separation distance, 

which was calculated using a power 

level of 4,000 milliwatts. Is this a 

realistic assumption for the combined 

power level of multiple wireless 

microphones operating within a 

television channel? Should we assume a 

lower power level? If so, what is the 

appropriate power level and separation 

distance? How much would a shorter 

separation distance benefit wireless 

microphone users? 

137. Finally, the Commission seeks 

comment on whether any other 

technical requirements need to be 

specified for unlicensed wireless 

microphones. For example, the part 74 

rules for low power auxiliary stations 

have additional requirements for 

wireless microphones including a 

maximum frequency deviation 

specification when frequency 

modulation is used. Additionally, part 

74 states that a transmitter may be either 

frequency synthesized or crystal 

controlled. The Commission seeks 

comment on whether these or any other 

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requirements should be incorporated 

into the part 15 rules for wireless 

microphones. 

2. 600 MHz Guard Bands and Duplex 

Gap 

a. Unlicensed Wireless Microphones 

138. Unlicensed wireless 

microphones will be permitted to 

operate in the 600 MHz Band Plan guard 

bands, including the duplex gap. The 

Commission proposes to require that 

unlicensed wireless microphones that 

operate in the guard bands and duplex 

gap meet many of the same technical 

requirements that it proposes in this 

NPRM for unlicensed wireless 

microphones that operate in the TV 

bands. Specifically, the Commission 

proposes the same definition of wireless 

microphone, since it believes that we 

should have a uniform definition for 

unlicensed wireless microphones 

regardless of the bands in which they 

operate. The Commission also proposes 

to require that unlicensed wireless 

microphones that operate in the guard 

bands and duplex gap comply with the 

same channelization, bandwidth, 

frequency stability and emission mask 

requirements as wireless microphones 

that operate in the TV bands. These 

requirements are necessary in the guard 

bands and duplex gap as well as the TV 

bands to enable more efficient use of 

spectrum and prevent harmful 

interference to authorized services 

outside the bands where wireless 

microphones operate. The Commission 

seeks comment on these proposals. 

139. Frequencies of operation. The 

Commission proposes to allow 

unlicensed wireless microphones to 

operate in certain segments of the guard 

bands and duplex gap. Specifically, it 

proposes to allow unlicensed wireless 

microphones to operate in the same six 

megahertz portion of the duplex gap as 

white space devices. In the guard band 

between television and wireless 

downlink spectrum, the Commission 

proposes that unlicensed wireless 

microphones may operate across the 

guard band with the exception of a one 

megahertz segment at the upper end that 

would act as a buffer between 

unlicensed wireless microphone 

operations and wireless downlink 

services. As with white space devices, 

the amount of spectrum available for 

wireless microphone operation in the 

guard band would depend on the size of 

the guard band and amount of frequency 

separation needed to protect wireless 

services from harmful interference. For 

example, if the guard band is 11 

megahertz wide, unlicensed wireless 

microphones would be allowed to 

operate in the lower ten megahertz 

segment of the band; if the guard band 

is nine megahertz wide, unlicensed 

wireless microphones would be allowed 

to operate in the lower eight megahertz 

segment; and if the guard band is seven 

megahertz wide, unlicensed wireless 

microphones would be allowed to 

operate in the lower six megahertz 

segment. The Commission seeks 

comment on the amount of frequency 

separation needed between wireless 

microphones and wireless services in 

the adjacent bands in the duplex gap 

and guard bands. In the three megahertz 

guard bands adjacent to channel 37, the 

Commission proposes to allow 

unlicensed wireless microphones to 

operate in the two megahertz segment 

closest to channel 37, leaving a one 

megahertz buffer to protect wireless 

downlink services adjacent to these 

guard bands. The Commission seeks 

comment on these proposals. 

140. Power limits. The Commission 

proposes that unlicensed wireless 

microphones operating in the guard 

bands and duplex gap operate with a 

maximum conducted power output of 

20 milliwatts to the antenna. This is less 

than the 50 milliwatt power level it 

proposed for unlicensed wireless 

microphones in the TV bands, but 

would still be useful by wireless 

microphone operators, since many 

wireless microphones operate at power 

levels between 10 and 20 milliwatts. 

The Commission believes that this 

lower power limit for wireless 

microphones is necessary in the guard 

bands and duplex gap to protect 

licensed wireless services outside these 

frequency bands. In addition, since the 

Commission is proposing that white 

space devices can operate in the guard 

bands and duplex gap at power levels of 

40 milliwatts, limiting the power of 

unlicensed wireless microphones can 

help enable coexistence between 

unlicensed wireless microphones and 

white space devices by making both 

types of devices operate at more 

comparable power levels. Wireless 

microphones operate in 200 kilohertz 

channels as opposed to the six 

megahertz (6000 kilohertz) channels 

used by white space devices, and as 

many as 16 wireless microphones 

potentially could operate in the same 

amount of spectrum as a single white 

space device. Thus, the aggregate 

wireless microphone power within a six 

megahertz channel can be greater than 

a white space device power within a six 

megahertz channel. The Commission 

recognizes that even at our proposed 

lower power level for unlicensed 

wireless microphones in the guard 

bands and duplex gap, there would still 

be a disparity between the aggregate 

power for wireless microphones and the 

power for white space devices, but the 

lower power level we propose for 

wireless microphones in these bands 

would reduce this disparity. 

141. The Commission seeks comment 

on the proposed power level for 

unlicensed wireless microphones. Is 

this power level useful for unlicensed 

wireless microphones? Will it provide 

adequate protection for wireless uplink 

and downlink services as well as TV 

broadcasting services? How would the 

power limit for unlicensed wireless 

microphones impact the ability of a 

white space device to operate cofrequency in the duplex gap, i.e., would 

the operation of one device preclude the 

operation of the other? Should the 

proposed power level be reduced 

further to allow for better coexistence 

between unlicensed wireless 

microphones and white space devices? 

Alternatively, could the proposed power 

level be increased without causing 

interference to authorized services or 

adversely affecting white space 

operations? 

142. Database access. The Spectrum 

Act states that the Commission may 

permit unlicensed use of the guard 

bands, and stipulates that (a) unlicensed 

use shall rely on a database or 

subsequent methodology as determined 

by the Commission, and (b) the 

Commission may not permit any use of 

a guard band that the Commission 

determines would cause harmful 

interference to licensed services. The 

Commission’s part 15 rules already 

require that unlicensed devices not 

cause harmful interference to and must 

accept interference from authorized 

users. In this NPRM, the Commission 

proposes and seek comment on 

technical and operational rules for 

unlicensed wireless microphones in the 

guard bands and duplex gap that would 

satisfy the requirements of both the 

Spectrum Act and our rules that 

unlicensed wireless microphones not 

cause harmful interference to authorized 

services. 

143. Unlike fixed and personal/

portable white space devices that are 

required to comply with rules that 

clearly satisfy the Spectrum Act’s 

stipulation that ‘‘unlicensed use shall 

rely on a database,’’ wireless 

microphones do not operate in a similar 

way to ‘‘rely on a database.’’ 

Nonetheless, the Commission proposes 

that unlicensed wireless microphones 

that operate in the guard bands and 

duplex gap must ‘‘rely on a database’’ 

prior to operation to ensure that their 

intended operating frequencies are 

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available for unlicensed wireless 

microphones at the location where they 

will be used. The Commission believes 

this proposed requirement is necessary 

because during the post-auction 

transition period, there will be a time 

when TV stations continue to operate in 

spectrum that will eventually become 

the guard bands and duplex gap, so the 

database will indicate to users whether 

operation is permitted in the guard 

bands and duplex gap. Also, there may 

be market variation in the amount of 

spectrum recovered, so the frequency 

and size of the guard band between TV 

and wireless downlink spectrum may 

differ in different parts of the country. 

Thus, the database can indicate which 

spectrum is available for unlicensed 

wireless microphones at a particular 

location. The Commission believes that 

this requirement is not unduly 

burdensome because there are several 

white space databases available, and 

unlicensed wireless microphone users 

will have an incentive to check a 

database to identify available 

frequencies for their use. The 

Commission seeks comment on this 

proposal. 

144. The Commission seeks comment 

on how unlicensed wireless 

microphones would comply with the 

Spectrum Act’s stipulation that the 

devices rely on a database or subsequent 

methodology. For example, could 

wireless microphones be designed to 

access directly a database through an 

Internet connection and download a list 

of available frequencies of operation in 

the same manner as white space 

devices? Would such an approach be 

practical, and would it add cost and 

complexity to wireless microphones? 

Would requiring users of unlicensed 

wireless microphones to manually 

check a database through another 

device, e.g., a laptop or smart phone, to 

get a list of available frequencies of 

operation comply with the Act’s 

stipulation ‘‘to rely on a database’’ and 

ensure that the devices operate only in 

permissible frequency bands? 

Alternatively, would manual database 

checking be a ‘‘subsequent 

methodology’’ which is permitted by the 

Spectrum Act in lieu of a database? Are 

there alternative methodologies that 

could be used in compliance with the 

Act? The Commission notes that after 

the end of the post-auction transition 

period, the duplex gap would be cleared 

of all broadcasters and would be 

uniform nationwide. Would designating 

a nationwide six megahertz block of 

spectrum in the duplex gap exclusively 

for unlicensed operation constitute a 

‘‘subsequent methodology’’ under the 

Spectrum Act, and therefore eliminate 

the need for a database access 

requirement for both white space 

devices and wireless microphones? 

b. Licensed Wireless Microphones in 

the Duplex Gap 

145. The Commission proposes to 

require that licensed wireless 

microphones operating in the duplex 

gap comply with the same technical 

requirements described for unlicensed 

wireless microphones in the guard 

bands and duplex gap, with the 

following two exceptions. First, the 

Commission proposes that the 

permissible frequencies of operation 

would be limited to the four megahertz 

segment of the duplex gap which it 

proposes to designate for licensed 

wireless microphone use. Second, the 

Commission is not proposing to require 

licensed users to access a database 

before beginning operation because it 

does not believe such a requirement is 

necessary. At the end of the postauction transition period, the duplex 

gap will be cleared of all broadcast 

operations, including low power TV and 

translator stations, and the duplex gap 

will be uniform nationwide. Thus, there 

will be no need for database access to 

determine whether the four megahertz 

segment of the duplex gap is available. 

During the post-auction transition 

period, however, a licensed wireless 

microphone user may need to determine 

whether the duplex gap is available in 

an area. The Commission believes that 

broadcaster and cable programming 

network entities that will be licensed to 

operate in the duplex gap are 

sophisticated users that are capable of 

determining whether the duplex gap is 

available at their location. Thus, the 

Commission does not believe it 

necessary to propose rules requiring 

licensed users of the four megahertz 

segment of the duplex gap to access a 

database to determine frequency 

availability. Since we are proposing to 

limit operation in this four megahertz 

segment to licensed users, there is no 

statutory requirement that use must rely 

on database access or a subsequent 

methodology determined by the 

Commission. The Commission seeks 

comment on these proposals. The 

Commission also seeks comment, 

regarding the splitting of the duplex 

gap, whether licensed wireless 

microphones could protect wireless 

services in the adjacent band from 

harmful interference. 

3. Repurposed 600 MHz Band 

146. In the Incentive Auction R&O, 

the Commission decided to permit 

wireless microphone users to continue 

to operate in the 600 MHz Band during 

the Post-Auction Transition Period 

subject to certain conditions. 

Specifically, wireless microphone users 

must cease operations in the 600 MHz 

Band if they cause harmful interference 

to any 600 MHz licensee’s operations, 

and they must accept interference 

received from these operations. The 

Commission also decided that all 

wireless microphone operations must be 

transitioned out of the 600 MHz Band 

no later than the end of the PostAuction Transition Period, which will 

be 39 months after the issuance of the 

Channel Reassignment PN. The 

Commission did not adopt any specific 

criteria to prevent harmful interference 

from wireless microphones to 600 MHz 

Band licensees, such as minimum 

separation distances from a co-channel 

wireless licensee’s service area. 

147. The Commission proposes that 

both licensed and unlicensed wireless 

microphones operating in the 

repurposed 600 MHz Band during the 

Post-Auction Transition Period comply 

with minimum separation distance 

requirements to prevent harmful 

interference to 600 MHz Band licensees. 

The Commission believes that 

protection requirements are necessary 

because wireless microphones could 

cause harmful interference to 600 MHz 

Band equipment (e.g., handsets) while 

not receiving any interference since 600 

MHz Band equipment transmits and 

receives on different frequencies. Thus, 

the wireless microphone operator may 

be unaware that it is causing harmful 

interference, and the party receiving the 

harmful interference may be unaware of 

its source. 

148. The Commission proposes to 

protect 600 MHz Band licensees from 

harmful interference from wireless 

microphones using the same criteria we 

propose to protect 600 MHz Band 

licensees from harmful interference 

from white space devices. Specifically, 

the Commission proposes to require that 

wireless microphones operate at the 

same distance outside a 600 MHz Band 

licensee’s service area as white space 

devices operating with a power of 4,000 

milliwatts EIRP and an antenna height 

of three meters above average terrain. 

This is similar to the approach the 

Commission used in the Incentive 

Auction R&O to determine the 

minimum separation distance between 

wireless microphones and the protected 

contour of co-channel television 

stations. In that case, the Commission 

based its determination on a power level 

significantly higher than a single 

wireless microphone since multiple 

wireless microphones can operate in a 

single six megahertz channel. It used the 

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three meter antenna height above 

average terrain because that height is 

used in determining the separation 

distances for portable white space 

devices, and wireless microphones are 

also portable devices. Are the proposed 

protection distances appropriate, or do 

we need to increase or decrease them? 

The Commission seeks comment on this 

proposal. 

149. The Commission also seeks 

comment on how best to implement the 

proposed separation distances. The 

Commission is proposing that the white 

space databases include information on 

the geographic areas and frequency 

bands where 600 MHz Band licensees 

have commenced operation. This 

information will be used to ensure that 

white space devices operate sufficiently 

far outside a licensee’s service area to 

prevent harmful interference, and could 

also be used to ensure that wireless 

microphones operate sufficiently far 

outside a licensee’s service area. Is there 

a need to require unlicensed wireless 

microphone users to check a database to 

ensure that they are outside a wireless 

licensee’s service area, or are the general 

non-interference requirements described 

in the Incentive Auction R&O sufficient 

to protect 600 MHz Band licensees? 

Wireless microphone users would most 

likely access the databases through an 

Internet connection separate from the 

microphone since, during the postauction transition period, users will 

likely continue to use microphones 

certified under current part 74 rules 

which are not designed to access the 

white space databases. How often 

should unlicensed wireless microphone 

users be required to check the database 

to determine whether a licensee has 

commenced operation? Should there be 

a time limit on how far in advance of 

an event a wireless microphone user can 

check the database? Are the timing 

intervals that we propose below for 

white space devices appropriate for 

wireless microphones to check for 600 

MHz licensees that have commenced 

operation? Would the white spaces 

database administrators have to make 

any changes to their databases to allow 

unlicensed wireless microphone users 

to check whether they comply with the 

proposed separation distances? If so, 

what costs would be incurred and who 

would pay the costs? If any commenters 

believe the general non-interference 

requirements described in the Incentive 

Auction R&O are sufficient to protect 

600 MHz Band licensees during the 

post-auction transition period, they 

should explain how interference would 

be resolved, by whom, and what 

mechanism would be used to identify 

interference sources. 

C. White Spaces Databases 

1. Expanding Location/Frequency 

Information in Database 

a. WMTS 

150. Authorized health care providers 

are authorized by rule to operate 

transmitters in the WMTS. Although the 

Commission does not issue individual 

licenses in this service, it does require 

that authorized health care providers 

that use WMTS devices must register 

the devices with a Commissiondesignated frequency coordinator prior 

to operation. The registration program 

assists users in meeting their obligation 

to cooperate in selecting and using 

frequencies to reduce the potential for 

interference with each other or coprimary RAS operations. ASHE/AHA, 

the Commission-designated WMTS 

frequency coordinator, has contracted 

with Comsearch to develop and 

maintain the WMTS database. WMTS 

users pay fees to ASHE/AHA and 

Comsearch to register their systems. 

151. Some of the information already 

in the WMTS database, e.g., the 

geographic coordinates of the 

transmitters operating on Channel 37, is 

the same type of information needed to 

protect the WMTS from interference by 

white space devices operating on 

channel 37 and in the adjacent bands, 

which would be either three megahertz 

guard bands or channels 36/38, 

depending on the outcome of the 

incentive auction. Specifically, we 

propose to include in the white spaces 

databases the following information 

obtained from the WMTS database for 

each WMTS device registration on 

channel 37: 

(1) Frequency of operation (i.e., 

channel 37), 

(2) Geographic coordinates of 

transmitters, and 

(3) Cross reference to the registration 

in the WMTS database (e.g., record 

number). 

152. The Commission believes that 

the number of WMTS transmitters at a 

location is not needed by the white 

spaces database since a white space 

device would have to meet the same 

distance separation requirements 

whether there is a single or many 

WMTS transmitters at a health care 

facility. We propose to require that a 

record for a WMTS operating location in 

the white spaces database include a 

cross reference to the corresponding 

information in the WMTS database, 

such a unique record identification 

number. The Commission believes that 

this requirement is necessary because 

the WMTS does not require individual 

licensing, so there are no call signs that 

could be used to cross-reference 

information between databases. Since it 

is only proposing to require the 

minimum information in the white 

spaces database necessary to determine 

if a device meets the required separation 

criteria from WMTS operating locations, 

we need to be able to reference the more 

detailed information in the WMTS 

database if there are questions 

concerning data accuracy or if 

interference occurs. 

153. The Commission believes that 

using data from the WMTS database in 

the white space databases is preferable 

to requiring authorized health care 

providers to register in both databases. 

A duplicative registration requirement 

would be burdensome for WMTS users, 

could result in discrepancies in the data 

in both databases, and could delay 

populating the white space databases 

with the information necessary to 

protect WMTS users. The Commission 

also recognizes concerns raised by 

parties in the incentive auction 

proceeding that information in the 

WMTS database may be missing or 

imprecise. For example, although 

location information in the WMTS 

database may be sufficient for WMTS 

coordination purposes, that information 

may need to be updated before it could 

be used by the white space databases to 

determine interference protection 

distances. The Wireless 

Telecommunications Bureau (WTB), 

under delegated authority to oversee the 

WMTS coordinator and in conjunction 

with OET which has delegated authority 

to oversee the white spaces database 

administrators, would work with ASHE/ 

AHA to accomplish this task under the 

terms of the MOU it has executed with 

ASHE/AHA for this purpose. OET also 

would work with ASHE/AHA and 

Comsearch to develop procedures to 

transfer the necessary information to the 

white spaces databases in a compatible 

format. The Commission emphasizes 

that under the current rules, all parties 

that operate WMTS equipment are 

already required to register with the 

WMTS coordinator. OET plans to work 

with ASHE/AHA and other parties as 

necessary to remind hospitals and other 

health care providers that use WMTS 

equipment of their obligation to register 

with the designated frequency 

coordinator and to ensure that such 

registration information is accurate. 

154. The Commission seeks comment 

on these proposals. In particular, it 

seeks comment on the use of 

information from the WMTS database to 

protect the WMTS in the white spaces 

databases. Is the information we 

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proposed for inclusion in the white 

spaces database adequate, or is 

additional information necessary? What 

steps would ASHE/AHA and Comsearch 

have to take to modify the data in the 

WMTS database or the database 

functions to transfer data to the white 

spaces databases on a regular basis? 

How long would these modifications 

take, what costs would be incurred, and 

how would those costs be recovered? 

Are there any steps we can take to 

ensure the accuracy of the WMTS 

information? For example, could we 

allow the specification of multiple 

points to define a bounded area around 

a large facility that uses the WMTS as 

opposed to specifying a single point? If 

so, how could that be accomplished? 

Should we require ASHE/AHA to add 

more detailed location information to its 

database that would be transferred to 

the white spaces databases? 

b. Radio Astronomy Service (RAS) 

155. The current white space rules list 

the locations of 14 radio astronomy sites 

and require that all fixed and personal/ 

portable devices operate at least 2.4 

kilometers away from them. The 12 

locations where the RAS receives on 

channel 37, specifically, the Arecibo 

Observatory, the Green Bank Telescope, 

and the ten sites that comprise the 

VLBA, are included in this list. 

Therefore, these locations are already in 

the white spaces database since they are 

protected under the current rules. 

However, the required 2.4 kilometer 

separation distance from these sites was 

based on the assumption that white 

space devices do not operate on channel 

37. The Commission is proposing to 

allow white space device operation on 

channel 37, and proposing protection 

criteria for the RAS receive sites that 

receive channel 37 to protect them from 

interference. The white spaces database 

administrators would need to make two 

changes to their systems as a result of 

the proposed rules. First, they would 

have to require that white space devices 

meet separation distances greater than 

2.4 kilometers from the ten VLBA sites. 

Second, they would have to include 

information on the quiet zones at Green 

Bank and the islands of Puerto Rico 

where white space devices may not 

operate. The Commission seeks 

comment on whether any other changes 

to the database would be required. 

156. The other two RAS sites listed in 

§ 15.712(h)(3) (the Allen Telescope 

Array and the Very Large Array) do not 

receive signals in the TV bands or the 

600 MHz Band. The Commission is 

therefore proposing to delete them from 

the list of sites in this section. The 

Commission seeks comment on this 

proposal. 

c. 600 MHz Band Services 

157. In the Incentive Auction R&O, 

the Commission decided to permit the 

continued operation of white space 

devices on repurposed spectrum except 

in those areas in which a 600 MHz Band 

licensee commences operations. 

Recognizing that new licensees would 

likely commence operations at different 

places within their licensed service area 

at different times depending on their 

business plans and other factors, the 

Commission concluded that since white 

space devices can operate only on 

channels identified in the white spaces 

databases, these databases can serve to 

ensure that unlicensed operations will 

no longer occur on a channel on which 

a licensee has commenced operations. It 

stated that when a 600 MHz Band 

licensee plans to commence operations 

on frequencies that include channels 

available for unlicensed operations 

under the rules for white space devices, 

that licensee can notify any of the white 

spaces database administrators when 

and where it plans to commence 

operations. The Commission noted that, 

as an example, the white spaces 

databases could include the coordinates 

of four corners of a polygon that 

corresponds to the area where the 600 

MHz Band licensee has commenced 

operations, and thus prevent operation 

of white space devices on the channel(s) 

used by the licensee within the defined 

area. 

158. The Commission proposes to 

require that TV bands database 

administrators store information on the 

locations where 600 MHz Band 

licensees commence operations in a 

similar fashion to the example that the 

Commission discussed in the Incentive 

Auction R&O. Specifically, it proposes 

that the database administrators allow 

600 MHz band licensees to enter the 

coordinates of at least eight points 

representing the corners of a polygon of 

the minimum size necessary to 

encompass all base stations within the 

area where a licensee is commencing 

operations, as well as the frequencies 

that a licensee will use in the specified 

area. The white spaces databases will 

use this information along with the 

protection criteria proposed in this 

NPRM to ensure that white space 

devices operate at a sufficient distance 

outside the border of the defined 

polygon to prevent interference to 

wireless services. The Commission is 

proposing to base the size of the 

polygon on the minimum size necessary 

to encompass base stations, since the 

proposed protection criteria for both 

wireless uplinks and downlinks are 

based on a minimum distance from base 

stations. 

159. The Commission proposes that 

wireless licensees specify a polygon 

with a minimum of eight sides rather 

than four as the Commission previously 

suggested, and that a TV bands database 

be capable of accepting up to 120 points 

to delineate the wireless carrier’s area of 

operation. This is the maximum number 

of points that a licensee may enter when 

partitioning a license area. This 

approach would provide wireless 

carriers with sufficient flexibility to 

describe different areas of operation. 

They could enter the coordinates of 

multiple polygons in cases where it 

plans to commence service in multiple 

non-contiguous areas. They also could 

specify shapes more complex than an 

eight-sided polygon to designate an area 

that includes irregular boundaries, such 

as PEA boundaries so that the protected 

area in the database stops at the edge of 

a carrier’s licensed area. 

160. The Commission seeks comment 

on these proposals. In particular, it 

seeks comment on whether a polygon 

with a minimum of eight sides is the 

appropriate method for defining the area 

where a licensee has commenced 

service. The Commission also seeks 

comment on whether it is necessary to 

allow for polygons with up to 120 sides. 

Would such a requirement be difficult 

for the database administrators to 

implement? The Commission further 

seeks comment on how the database 

should handle situations where a 

licensee is providing service up to the 

boundary of its licensed PEA. Should 

the database contain information on 

PEA boundaries so a licensee does not 

need to enter them? How difficult 

would it be for the database 

administrators to add that capability? 

161. The Commission proposes that a 

600 MHz Band licensee enter the date 

it plans to commence operations when 

it registers a polygonal area and 

operating frequencies with the TV bands 

database. It also proposes that the white 

space database administrators provide 

to the other database administrators on 

a daily basis the data registered by 600 

MHz licensees, as they do for other 

services. Requiring the database to 

include the date for commencing 

operations will allow a licensee to 

define its operations area well in 

advance without limiting the ability of 

white space devices to operate until the 

actual date when the 600 MHz wireless 

licensee commences operation. The 

database will disregard the registration 

information prior to the service 

commencement date when determining 

which channels are available for white 

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space devices. Some licensees may not 

wish to make available details of their 

intended plans far in advance, and they 

could register their information closer to 

the actual date when they intend to 

commence operations. In doing so, they 

should keep in mind the time period 

needed for the white space databases to 

share information and the frequency 

with which white space devices are 

required to check for available channels. 

d. Private Land Mobile Radio Service 

(PLMRS) 

162. The Commission is proposing to 

modify the information required to be 

included in the white spaces databases 

for PLMRS/CMRS base station 

operations located more than 80 

kilometers from the geographic centers 

of the 13 metropolitan areas defined in 

§ 90.303(a) of the rules (e.g., in 

accordance with a waiver). Section 

15.713(h)(4) currently requires that the 

database include the transmitter 

location, effective radiated power, 

antenna height above ground and 

average terrain, and call sign for each 

PLMRS/CMRS base station. These 

stations are protected to a distance of 54 

kilometers from co-channel white space 

devices, and 51 kilometers from 

adjacent channel white space devices. 

However, § 15.713(h)(4) does not require 

the database to include the TV channel 

number on which the PLMRS/CMRS 

station operates, which is information 

that needs to be included in the 

database to determine when a station 

needs protection. In addition, there does 

not appear to be any need to include the 

effective radiated power or antenna 

heights above ground and average 

terrain for each base station in the 

database. The protection criteria for base 

station is based on a geographic 

separation from the transmitter location, 

and the power and antenna height 

information are not necessary for the 

database to calculate the separation 

distance. Accordingly, the Commission 

proposes to modify § 15.713(h)(4) to 

require the TV bands database to 

include the TV channel number on 

which a PLMRS/CMRS base station 

operates, and to remove the requirement 

to include effective radiated power and 

antenna height information. The 

Commission seeks comment on this 

proposal. 

e. Canadian and Mexican Stations 

Information 

163. Because white space devices 

operate in the same frequency bands 

and on the same channels as TV stations 

in Canada and Mexico, the Commission 

is sensitive to the need to avoid causing 

harmful interference to TV broadcast 

operations in those countries. To this 

end, we committed to discussing with 

Canada and Mexico how we could 

include in our white space databases 

information on Canadian TV stations in 

the border areas that need to be 

protected. Currently, the Commission 

receives this information from Canada 

and passes it on to our white space 

database administrators who protect 

these locations. The Commission is 

discussing with Canada, which is 

moving ahead with its own program to 

permit white space devices on vacant 

TV channels, how best to have the 

Canadian and U.S. database 

administrators share information about 

stations in each country that need to be 

protected in the border areas. Some of 

these facilities may be receive sites that 

are not listed in Commission or 

Canadian government licensing 

databases, and the operators of the 

receive sites directly register their 

location information with the databases. 

The Commission seeks comment on 

how best to accomplish this objective. 

Should we require our database 

administrators to share this information 

directly with Canadian database 

administrators, or should the 

Commission be the conduit for passing 

this information to the Canadian 

database administrators? 

2. Changes to Database Procedures 

a. Wireless Microphones 

164. Under the current rules, part 74 

licensees operating Low Power 

Auxiliary Service (LPAS) equipment, 

including wireless microphones, may 

register their operating locations, 

channels and times in the white spaces 

database. The white spaces database 

protects these registered locations by 

requiring fixed devices to operate at 

least one kilometer from them and 

requiring personal/portable devices to 

operate at least 400 meters from them. 

Licensees may register their information 

directly with any one of the designated 

white space database administrators, 

and the information is then shared with 

all the other database administrators. In 

addition, parties operating large 

numbers of wireless microphones on an 

unlicensed basis are also allowed to 

register their operating locations in the 

white spaces database under certain 

circumstances. These registered 

locations are given the same protection 

from white space devices as licensed 

LPAS operations. Registration of 

unlicensed wireless microphones is 

limited to venues of events and 

productions and shows that use large 

numbers of microphones that cannot be 

accommodated in the two reserved 

channels and other channels that are not 

available for use by white space devices 

at a specific location. 

165. The Commission proposes to 

eliminate the part 15 rule that permits 

unlicensed wireless microphone users 

to register the operating locations, 

channels and times in the white spaces 

databases to protect these operations 

from possible interference from white 

space devices. Thus, unlicensed 

wireless microphones would no longer 

be permitted to register their operations 

in the TV bands, as well as in the 600 

MHz Band Plan guard bands or duplex 

gap. The Commission seeks comment on 

this proposal. 

166. The Commission makes this 

proposal in part due to our recent 

decision to adopt the TV Bands Wireless 

Microphones Second R&O, 79 FR 40680 

(July 14, 2014), in which we expanded 

eligibility for part 74 LPAS licenses to 

include professional sound companies 

and the owners and operators of large 

venues that routinely use 50 or more 

wireless microphones, and to permit 

these eligible entities to register directly 

in the TV bands database, provided that 

they obtain a license. The Commission 

notes that the goal in both the TV Bands 

Wireless Microphones Second R&O and 

in the TV White Spaces Second MO&O, 

75 FR 75814 (December 6, 2010), in 

which the Commission adopted rules 

permitting unlicensed users to register 

in the TV bands database, was to ensure 

that entities requiring a large number of 

wireless microphones are able to 

register in the TV bands database. 

Commenters should address the extent 

to which this decision to expand license 

eligibility in the TV Bands Wireless 

Microphone Second R&O obviates the 

need for unlicensed wireless 

microphone users at ‘‘venues of events 

and productions/shows that use large 

numbers of wireless microphones’’ to 

register in the TV bands database. 

167. The Commission also makes this 

proposal in part because in this NPRM 

we are proposing other ways that 

unlicensed microphones would operate 

on an equal basis with white space 

devices in the TV bands, the 600 MHz 

guard bands, and the portion of the 

duplex gap where we would allow 

unlicensed operation. For example, we 

propose technical rules (e.g., power 

limits) for unlicensed microphones that 

are similar to those applicable to white 

space devices, thus reducing the 

potential for interference between these 

different uses. The Commission also 

proposes that unlicensed wireless 

microphones operating in the 600 MHz 

Band guard bands and duplex gap must 

contact the white spaces databases prior 

to operation to ensure that their 

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intended operating frequencies are 

available for unlicensed wireless 

microphones at the location where they 

will be used. Under the part 15 rules the 

Commission proposes to adopt, 

unlicensed wireless microphones, 

would operate under the same general 

conditions of operation as white space 

devices, meaning they may not cause 

interference to authorized services and 

must accept any interference received, 

including interference from other 

unlicensed devices. 

b. White Space Device Re-Check 

Interval and Databases’ Sharing of 

Registration Information 

168. White space devices are required 

to re-check the database at least once 

per day to obtain the list of available TV 

channels at the location where the 

device operates. If a device is unable to 

make contact with the database on any 

given day, it may continue to operate 

until 11:59 p.m. on the following day, 

at which time it must cease operation 

until it re-establishes contact with the 

database. The Commission established 

these timeframes because most 

protected services listed in its databases 

do not change on a frequent basis. 

Further, since the Commission provides 

updated data to the white spaces 

database administrators only once every 

weekday, there is generally no need for 

white space devices to recheck the 

database more frequently than once per 

day. 

169. The only protected use for which 

database information generally changes 

more frequently than once daily is 

wireless microphones. A wireless 

microphone user may register with a 

single white spaces database, and that 

database must then share the 

registration information with the other 

databases. The rules require such 

sharing to be done at least once daily, 

or more often as appropriate. The 

Commission established two reserved 

television channels where white space 

devices cannot operate to ensure that 

there would be spectrum available for 

wireless microphones used in 

applications such as electronic news 

gathering for which it is not possible to 

register the operating location in the 

database at least 24 hours in advance. 

170. To ensure that wireless 

microphones used in applications such 

as electronic newsgathering receive 

protection in a timely manner, the 

Commission proposes two 

improvements—an increase in the 

frequency at which white space devices 

must re-check the database, and a limit 

on the time required for an LPAS 

registration made in one white spaces 

database to appear in all other white 

spaces databases. Specifically, it 

proposes to amend §§ 15.711(b)(3)(i) 

and 15.711(b)(3)(ii) of the rules to 

require fixed and Mode II personal/ 

portable white space devices to re-check 

the database at time intervals not to 

exceed 20 minutes. The Commission 

also proposes to eliminate 

§ 15.711(b)(3)(iii) which allows a white 

space device to continue operating until 

11:59 p.m. on the following day if it 

cannot establish contact with the 

database. The Commission proposes to 

amend § 15.715(l) of the rules to require 

database administrators to share 

registration information between 

databases within ten minutes. The effect 

of these two proposals will be to ensure 

that a white space device ceases 

operation on a channel used by a 

wireless microphone within 30 minutes 

after a new registration is entered into 

the database. This 30 minute time 

interval is consistent with previous 

requests by NAB and Shure. 

171. The Commission previously 

considered and rejected requests by 

wireless microphone manufacturers and 

users to establish a shorter re-check 

interval than the current 24 hours 

specified in the rules. In rejecting these 

requests, the Commission noted the 

steps it had taken to ensure that 

adequate spectrum in the TV bands 

remains available for licensed itinerant 

wireless microphone users by 

prohibiting personal/portable devices 

from operating below channel 21, 

designating two channels in each 

market from among channels 14–51 

where white space devices cannot 

operate, and prohibiting fixed devices 

from operating adjacent to occupied 

television channels. 

172. It is now appropriate to revisit 

the Commission’s earlier decision that 

retained a 24-hour database re-check 

interval. In the Incentive Auction R&O, 

the Commission decided to no longer 

designate two vacant television 

channels exclusively for wireless 

microphone use. In making this change, 

the Commission stated that it also 

planned to make significant 

improvements to the white spaces 

databases to help address the concerns 

of wireless microphone users and 

accommodate their needs for access to 

available unused television channels, 

free from interference from unlicensed 

devices. There are now multiple white 

spaces databases in operation, and our 

experience with them has demonstrated 

that a channel re-check can be done 

very rapidly, so it does not appear that 

more frequent database checks would be 

unduly burdensome. 

173. The Commission seeks comment 

on our proposals. In particular, it seeks 

comment on whether 20 minutes is an 

appropriate re-check interval, or 

whether the interval should be longer or 

shorter. The Commission also seeks 

comment on how a white space device 

should respond in the event that it 

cannot contact a database at the 

specified re-check interval. Should the 

device simply be required to cease 

transmitting, or should it be permitted 

to operate for a longer time so it can 

retry contacting the database? How 

much more time should be permitted, if 

any? 

174. In addition, the Commission 

seeks comment on the appropriateness 

of the proposed ten minute time limit 

for sharing information between 

databases. Section 15.715(l) requires the 

sharing of registration information for 

fixed devices and MVPD receive sites in 

addition to wireless microphones. We 

seek comment on whether there is a 

need to require faster sharing of these 

other types of registration information, 

or whether any new requirements 

should apply only to wireless 

microphones. 

175. Sections 15.711(b)(3)(i) and (ii) 

require that a fixed or personal/portable 

white space device that accesses the 

database must obtain wireless 

microphone scheduling information for 

a 48 hour period beginning from the 

time that the device accesses the 

database for a list of channels. This 

requirement is necessary because a 

white space device is only required to 

access the database once every 24 hours, 

and it may continue to operate for an 

additional 24 hours if it is unable to 

contact the database. However, if we 

require white space devices to contact 

the database every 20 minutes, it 

appears that this 48 hour time period 

could be reduced. The Commission 

proposes to require that a white space 

device must obtain wireless microphone 

scheduling information for a period of 

60 minutes beginning from the last time 

it accesses a database. The Commission 

seeks comment on this proposal. 

176. Finally, the Commission believes 

that these proposals, if adopted, should 

provide assurance to wireless 

microphone users that they will be able 

to access channels when and where they 

need them on short NPRM, without 

having to reserve multiple channels for 

every day/all day over extensive time 

periods. On several occasions we have 

seen microphone registrations that have 

been abusive of our rules and their 

intent to provide a fair opportunity for 

all microphone and white space device 

users to access available channels and 

make the most efficient use of spectrum. 

The Commission seeks comment on 

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whether there are other steps it should 

take to curb such abusive practices. 

c. Database Registration and Fees 

177. Under the current part 15 rules, 

fixed white space devices must register 

with the white space databases, 

providing the geographic coordinates, 

antenna height and certain identifying 

information. The Commission proposes 

to clarify its rules to ensure that fixed 

white space devices register with the 

databases if they would operate not only 

in TV bands but also in the repurposed 

600 MHz Band, the guard bands and 

duplex gap, and Channel 37. The 

Commission also proposes to modify 

our rule that permits the white spaces 

database administrators to charge a fee 

for providing lists of available channels 

to white space devices and to register 

fixed white space devices to clearly 

state that this rule provision applies to 

white space devices that would operate 

in the TV bands, the repurposed 600 

MHz Band, the 600 MHz guard bands, 

including the duplex gap, and Channel 

37. The Commission also proposes that, 

if it adopts the proposal in this NPRM 

that unlicensed wireless microphones 

operating in the 600 MHz guard bands 

and duplex gap must contact the white 

spaces databases to identify operating 

frequencies available for their use, the 

database administrators may charge a 

fee for providing this information. The 

Commission seeks comment on these 

proposals. 

178. The Commission permits the 

database administrators to assess fees to 

support the creation and operation of 

the databases, and these fees may be 

imposed on the operators of the white 

space devices in order to access the 

database and/or on the manufacturers of 

the white space devices. The 

Commission believes that both white 

space devices and unlicensed wireless 

microphones in the 600 MHz guard 

bands and duplex gap should be equally 

responsible for supporting the ongoing 

operation of the databases. Both types of 

uses benefit equally from the 

information provided by the databases. 

Should wireless microphone users also 

register their devices in the white space 

databases? Should database 

administrators assess a fee for 

microphone registration, as they do with 

fixed white space devices? Would a 

registration program facilitate the 

assessment of fees for obtaining channel 

lists? Commenters should address the 

feasibility of assessing database fees on 

unlicensed wireless microphone 

operators or manufacturers. 

179. Regarding the registration of 

fixed white space devices in the white 

space databases, the Commission has 

stated that devices that do not check the 

database for three months to update 

their channel lists will be removed from 

the databases, but it did not codify this 

requirement. Fixed devices that are reregistered later would be subject to a 

new registration fee. The Commission 

seeks comment on whether it should 

continue this requirement, and whether 

it should apply to wireless microphones 

if we adopt a similar registration 

requirement for them. What purpose is 

served by removing a fixed device 

registration if it has not updated its 

channel list over a certain period of 

time? In this NPRM, the Commission is 

proposing to significantly increase the 

frequency for white space devices to recheck the database for a list of available 

channels. If the Commission continues 

this requirement, is a three month 

inactive period appropriate? 

D. Equipment Certification and 

Marketing 

180. Most part 15 intentional 

radiators, including white space devices 

and wireless microphones, must be 

authorized through the certification 

procedure before they can be imported 

into or marketed within the United 

States. Part 74 wireless microphones 

must also be authorized through the 

certification procedure. This procedure 

requires the filing of an application with 

either the Commission or a designated 

Telecommunications Certification Body 

(TCB) that includes test data 

demonstrating that the device complies 

with the appropriate technical rules. A 

grant of equipment certification does 

not normally specify an importation or 

marketing cutoff date, so it remains 

valid indefinitely unless revoked or 

withdrawn, rescinded, surrendered, or a 

termination date is otherwise 

established by the Commission. 

181. The Commission is proposing 

rule changes in this NPRM that would 

give greater flexibility for fixed and 

personal/portable white space device 

operation in the TV bands. The majority 

of these changes are permissive, 

meaning that manufacturers of approved 

white space devices are not required to 

incorporate them into their equipment. 

However, the proposed requirement for 

white space devices to re-check a 

database at more frequent intervals 

would require changes to previously 

approved devices. In addition, the 

Commission is proposing to adopt rules 

for unlicensed wireless microphones 

that operate in the TV bands and for 

unlicensed devices and for licensed and 

unlicensed wireless microphones that 

operate in the guard bands and duplex 

gap. These devices will be affected by 

the transition provisions adopted in the 

Incentive Auction R&O. The 

Commission addresses certification, 

marketing and operational requirements 

for white space devices and unlicensed 

wireless microphones below. 

Fixed and Personal/Portable Devices 

182. Our proposal to require fixed and 

Mode II personal/portable devices to 

check the database more frequently and 

to obtain scheduling information for 

wireless microphones over a shorter 

time period would require changes to 

devices that were previously approved, 

since the frequency of checking the 

database is a function of a device. The 

Commission believes that this change 

can be implemented with a minor 

software update, so only short transition 

time periods are necessary. Accordingly, 

the Commission proposes to require that 

devices for which a certification 

application is filed beginning 30 days 

after the effective date of the rules 

comply with the new re-check 

requirements. The Commission also 

proposes to require that within 90 days 

after the effective date of the rules, all 

white space devices imported and 

marketed within the United States must 

comply with the new re-check 

requirement, regardless of when they 

were certified. The Commission further 

proposes to require that white space 

devices that do not comply with the 

new re-check requirements must cease 

operating within 180 days of the 

effective date of the rules. The 

Commission seeks comment on these 

proposals. 

Wireless Microphones 

183. All wireless microphones that 

now operate in the TV bands are 

certified as compliant with part 74, 

subpart H of the Commission’s rules. 

The Commission decided in the 

Incentive Auction R&O that all wireless 

microphones that operate in the portion 

of the TV bands that will be repurposed 

for licensed wireless services may 

continue to operate in that spectrum 

during the post-auction transition 

period but must cease those operations 

no later than 39 months after release of 

the Channel Reassignment Public 

Notice. At the end of this post-auction 

transition period, licensed microphones 

will be permitted to operate in a portion 

of the duplex gap, and unlicensed 

wireless microphones will be permitted 

to operate in the guard bands and 

duplex gap. 

184. Because of these future changes 

in the permitted operating frequency 

range for wireless microphones, plus the 

rule changes for these devices that the 

Commission proposes in this NPRM and 

in the Wireless Microphone NPRM, we 

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1See 5 U.S.C. 603. The RFA, see 5 U.S.C. 601– 

612, has been amended by the Small Business 

Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 

(SBREFA), Public Law 104–121, Title II, 110 Stat. 

857 (1996). 

2See 5 U.S.C. 603(a). 

need to establish cutoff dates for the 

certification, manufacturing and 

marketing of wireless microphones in 

the guard bands and repurposed 600 

MHz Band spectrum to ensure that 

manufacturers cease making and 

marketing equipment that cannot be 

legally used after a certain date. Cutoff 

dates will encourage manufacturers to 

concentrate on developing wireless 

microphones that operate in compliance 

with new parts 74 and 15 rules. Because 

similar technical requirements would 

apply to both licensed and unlicensed 

wireless microphones, the Commission 

proposes to apply to both the same 

transition rules for certification, 

manufacturing and marketing. This 

approach would be the least disruptive 

to wireless microphone manufacturers 

and users. In this NPRM, the 

Commission proposes rules for 

unlicensed wireless microphones; 

proposed rules for part 74 licensed 

wireless microphones are in the 

Wireless Microphone NPRM. 

185. Although the Commission 

encourages wireless microphone 

manufacturers to come into compliance 

as soon as possible with new or revised 

technical rules, it may be preferable to 

have the transition period align as 

closely as possible with the post-auction 

transition schedule. Manufacturers and 

users will not know until after the 

auction which band plan will be in 

effect and where wireless microphones 

will be permitted to operate at the end 

of the post-auction transition period. 

The auction results will determine the 

size and frequency range of the 600 

MHz Band guard bands, duplex gap, 

and repurposed spectrum. Our goal is to 

establish transition periods that are 

flexible and do not impose multiple recertification requirements over a 

relatively short period of time. 

186. Currently, unlicensed wireless 

microphones operate in the TV bands 

under part 15 of the Commission’s rules 

pursuant to waivers. These devices must 

operate in compliance with certain 

technical requirements set forth in the 

TV Bands Wireless Microphones R&O 

and be certified under the applicable 

rules under part 74, subpart H. The 

waiver limits unlicensed wireless 

microphone operations to no greater 

than 50 milliwatts, but otherwise the 

technical requirements (e.g., 200 kHz 

bandwidth limit) for their operations are 

the same as part 74 wireless 

microphones. Unlicensed microphone 

operations can continue in the core TV 

bands under this waiver until the 

effective date of final rules for their 

operation on an unlicensed basis under 

part 15. The rules the Commission 

proposes in this NPRM allows the 

certification of unlicensed wireless 

microphones that operate on channels 

2–51, excluding channel 37. However, 

some portion of those channels will be 

repurposed for licensed wireless 

services. The Commission thus proposes 

that, after it adopts part 15 rules for 

unlicensed wireless microphone 

operation, the Commission continues to 

permit unlicensed wireless microphone 

users to operate part 74 wireless 

microphones in the TV bands under the 

waivers already in place until they must 

cease those operations no later than 39 

months after release of the Channel 

Reassignment Public Notice. The 

Commission also proposes to accept 

applications to certify wireless 

microphones under part 15 rules as 

soon as those rules are effective, but not 

require such applications until after the 

incentive auction. The Commission 

seeks comment on these proposals. 

187. The Commission proposes that 

parties may no longer submit 

applications to certify under part 15 

wireless microphones that operate in 

repurposed TV spectrum beginning nine 

months after the release of the Channel 

Reassignment Public Notice. The 

Commission also proposes a 

manufacturing and marketing cutoff on 

wireless microphones that would not 

comply with the 600 MHz Band of 18 

months after release of the Channel 

Reassignment Public Notice. The 

Commission seeks comment on these 

proposals. In particular, it seeks 

comment on the appropriateness of the 

proposed cutoff dates. Should we 

provide longer or shorter time periods? 

Should we also require that, in any 

event, parties may not submit 

applications to certify wireless 

microphones that operate in repurposed 

TV spectrum later than 24 months after 

the effective date of the service rules we 

adopt in this proceeding, and 

microphones that do not comply with 

the new rules may not be manufactured 

and marketed later than 33 months after 

the effective date of the service rules we 

adopt in this proceeding? Are any other 

requirements necessary, such as 

requiring advisory labeling or other 

information to the user about the 

operational cutoff date? 

188. Unlike wireless microphones 

operating in the repurposed 600 MHz 

Band, operation of unlicensed wireless 

microphones in the guard bands and 

duplex gap is not affected by the postauction transition requirements. To 

ensure that we can distinguish which 

wireless microphones may be legally 

operated after the transition from those 

that cannot, we propose the following 

requirements. A wireless microphone 

that is certified to operate only in the 

guard bands and duplex gap may 

continue to be marketed and operated 

with no cutoff date. However, if a 

wireless microphone is certified to 

operate in any portion of the repurposed 

600 MHz Band, the Commission 

proposes that it may no longer be 

marketed or operated after the specified 

cutoff dates, even if it could be tuned to 

operate outside the repurposed 600 

MHz Band. This approach will allow 

use of the FCC identification number to 

identify which wireless microphones 

may be legally marketed and operated, 

rather than having to determine the 

precise frequency to which a specific 

wireless microphone is tuned, which 

may not be indicated on the device. The 

Commission seeks comment on this 

proposal. 

Procedural Matters 

189. As required by the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended 

(RFA),1 the Commission has prepared 

this present Initial Regulatory 

Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) of the 

possible significant economic impact on 

a substantial number of small entities by 

the policies and rules proposed in this 

NPRM of Proposed Rule Making 

(NPRM). Written public comments are 

requested on this IRFA. Comments must 

be identified as responses to the IRFA 

and must be filed by the deadlines for 

comments on the NPRM provided in the 

item. The Commission will send a copy 

of the NPRM, including this IRFA, to the 

Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small 

Business Administration (SBA).2

A. Need for, and Objectives of, the 

Proposed Rules 

190. The NPRM proposes rules for 

unlicensed operations in the frequency 

bands that are now and will continue to 

be allocated and assigned to broadcast 

television services (TV bands), 

including fixed and personal/portable 

white space devices and unlicensed 

wireless microphones. Based on its 

experience with the development and 

deployment of white space devices in 

the TV bands, the Commission is 

considering changes to the part 15 rules 

that will allow for more robust service 

and efficient spectral use without 

increasing the risk of harmful 

interference to authorized users. The 

NPRM also proposes to codify rules for 

the operation of unlicensed wireless 

microphones in the TV bands. 

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3See Expanding the Economic and Innovation 

Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive 

Auctions, GN Docket No. 12–268, Report and Order, 

29 FCC Rcd 6567 (2014) (Incentive Auction R&O). 

4See 5 U.S.C. 603(b)(3). 

5See 5 U.S.C. 601(6). 

6See 5 U.S.C. 601(3) (incorporating by reference 

the definition of ‘‘small-business concern’’ in the 

Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 632). Pursuant to 5 

U.S.C. 601(3), the statutory definition of a small 

business applies ‘‘unless an agency, after 

consultation with the Office of Advocacy of the 

Small Business Administration and after 

opportunity for public comment, establishes one or 

more definitions of such term which are 

appropriate to the activities of the agency and 

publishes such definition(s) in the Federal 

Register.’’ 

7See 15 U.S.C. 632. 

8The NAICS Code for this service 334220. See 13 

CFR 121/201. See also http://factfinder.census.gov/ 

servlet/IBQTable?_bm=y&-fds_name=EC0700A1&- 

geo_id=&-_skip=300&-ds_name=EC0731SG2&-_

lang=en 

9See http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/

IBQTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=&-fds_name=

EC0700A1&-_skip=4500&-ds_name=EC0731SG3&-_

lang=en 

10See Revisions to Rules Authorizing the 

Operation of Low Power Auxiliary Stations in the 

698–806 MHz Band, WT Docket No. 08–166, Public 

Interest Spectrum Coalition, Petition for 

Rulemaking Regarding Low Power Auxiliary 

Stations, Including Wireless Microphones, and the 

Digital Television Transition, WT Docket No. 08– 

167, Amendment of Parts 15, 74 and 90 of the 

Commission’s Rules Regarding Low Power 

Auxiliary Stations, Including Wireless 

Microphones, ET Docket No. 10–24, Report and 

Order and Further NPRM of Proposed Rulemaking, 

25 FCC Rcd 643, 682–87, para. 81–90 (2010). 

11See 47 CFR 2.907. The Commission or a TCB 

may test a sample of a device to verify that it 

Continued 

191. The NPRM addresses issues that 

arise from the Incentive Auction R&O to 

repurpose a portion of the broadcast 

spectrum for new wireless services.3

The 600 MHz Band Plan adopted in the 

Incentive Auction R&O provides new 

opportunities for unlicensed white 

space devices, unlicensed wireless 

microphones and wireless microphones 

licensed under part 74. The NPRM 

proposes rules for their operation that 

will protect licensed services as 

spectrum is repurposed to introduce 

new wireless services. 

B. Legal Basis 

192. The proposed action is taken 

pursuant to Sections 4(i), 301, 302, 

303(e), 303(f), 303(r), 304 and 307 of the 

Communications Act of 1934, as 

amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 301, 302, 

303(e), 303(f), 303(r), 304 and 307. 

C. Description and Estimate of the 

Number of Small Entities to Which the 

Proposed Rules Will Apply 

193. The RFA directs agencies to 

provide a description of, and where 

feasible, an estimate of the number of 

small entities that may be affected by 

the proposed rules, if adopted.4 The 

RFA generally defines the term ‘‘small 

entity’’ as having the same meaning as 

the terms ‘‘small business,’’ ‘‘small 

organization,’’ and ‘‘small governmental 

jurisdiction.’’ 5 In addition, the term 

‘‘small business’’ has the same meaning 

as the term ‘‘small business concern’’ 

under the Small Business Act.6 A 

‘‘small business concern’’ is one which: 

(1) Is independently owned and 

operated; (2) is not dominant in its field 

of operation; and (3) satisfies any 

additional criteria established by the 

Small Business Administration (SBA).7

194. Radio and Television 

Broadcasting and Wireless 

Communications Equipment 

Manufacturing. The Census Bureau 

defines this category as follows: ‘‘This 

industry comprises establishments 

primarily engaged in manufacturing 

radio and television broadcast and 

wireless communications equipment. 

Examples of products made by these 

establishments are: Transmitting and 

receiving antennas, cable television 

equipment, GPS equipment, pagers, 

cellular phones, mobile 

communications equipment, and radio 

and television studio and broadcasting 

equipment.’’ 8 The SBA has developed a 

small business size standard for Radio 

and Television Broadcasting and 

Wireless Communications Equipment 

Manufacturing, which is: All such firms 

having 750 or fewer employees. 

According to Census Bureau data for 

2007, there were a total of 939 

establishments in this category that 

operated for part or all of the entire year. 

Of this total, 912 had less than 500 

employees and 17 had more than 1000 

employees.9 Thus, under that size 

standard, the majority of firms can be 

considered small. 

D. Description of Projected Reporting, 

Recordkeeping, and Other Compliance 

Requirements for Small Entities 

195. White space devices are 

unlicensed devices that operate in the 

TV bands at locations where frequencies 

are not in use by licensed services. 

These devices may be either fixed or 

personal/portable. Fixed devices may 

operate at power levels up to four watts, 

and personal/portable devices operate at 

up to 100 milliwatts, if they are outside 

the service contours of adjacent channel 

TV stations. Personal/portable devices 

may operate with 40 milliwatts if they 

are within the service contour of an 

adjacent channel TV station. White 

space devices are not permitted to 

operate on channel 37 (608–614 MHz), 

which is use by the Radio Astronomy 

Service (RAS) and Wireless Medical 

Telemetry Service (WMTS). To prevent 

harmful interference to broadcast 

television stations and other authorized 

users of these bands, white space 

devices must obtain a list of available 

TV channels that may be used at their 

location from databases administered by 

private entities selected by the 

Commission. 

196. Wireless microphones also 

operate in the TV bands. Certain entities 

may be issued licenses under subpart H 

of part 74 of the rules to operate low 

power auxiliary stations in the TV 

bands. Because the operators of part 74 

wireless microphones are licensed, they 

may register the times and locations of 

their operation in the white spaces 

databases to obtain interference 

protection from co-channel white space 

devices. The Commission also allows 

the operation of part 74 certified 

wireless microphones in the VHF and 

UHF TV bands on an unlicensed basis 

under a waiver of the part 15 rules 

granted in the 2010 TV Bands Wireless 

Microphones R&O and Further NPRM.10

Operators of unlicensed wireless 

microphones are generally not 

permitted to register in the TV bands 

database, but parties operating large 

numbers of wireless microphones on an 

unlicensed basis at venues of events and 

productions/shows may register in the 

TV bands database if they meet certain 

criteria specified in the rules and obtain 

Commission approval to do so. 

197. In the Incentive Auction R&O, 

the Commission decided to repurpose a 

portion of the UHF TV spectrum for 

licensed wireless services (the ‘‘600 

MHz Band’’). The Commission’s band 

plan provides for a guard band between 

television spectrum and 600 MHz 

downlink services, a guard band 

between 600 MHz uplink and downlink 

services (a duplex gap), and guard bands 

between 600 MHz downlink services 

and channel 37. In the TV bands that are 

repurposed for wireless services, the 

Commission decided to allow white 

space devices to continue operating 

indefinitely in areas where a 600 MHz 

Band licensee has not commenced 

operations, and to allow wireless 

microphones to operate for 39 months 

after release of a public NPRM 

announcing channel reassignments as a 

result of the incentive auction. 

198. Most RF transmitting equipment, 

including white space devices and 

wireless microphones, must be 

authorized through the certification 

procedure. Certification is an equipment 

authorization issued by the Commission 

or by a designated TCB based on an 

application and test data submitted by 

the responsible party (e.g., the 

manufacturer or importer).11 The NPRM 

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69738 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 225 / Friday, November 21, 2014 / Proposed Rules 

complies with the rules before granting approval for 

the equipment to be marketed. Examples of devices 

subject to certification include, but are not limited 

to, mobile phones; wireless local area networking 

equipment, remote control transmitters; land 

mobile radio transmitters; wireless medical 

telemetry transmitters; cordless telephones; and 

walkie-talkies. 12See 5 U.S.C. 603(c)(1) through (c)(4). 

does not propose to change the 

authorization procedure for white space 

devices and wireless microphones, but 

it does propose to establish new 

technical requirements or modify 

existing technical requirements for 

white space devices and wireless 

microphones. 

199. The NPRM proposes to establish 

the following new and changed 

compliance requirements for white 

space devices, unlicensed wireless 

microphones and licensed wireless 

microphones: 

White Space Devices That Operate in 

the TV Bands Remaining After the 

Incentive Auction and Channel 

Reassignment 

• Allow personal/portable white 

space devices to operate on channels 

14–20 where their operation is currently 

prohibited. 

• Allow fixed white space devices to: 

Æ Operate at 40 milliwatts on 

channels adjacent to occupied TV 

channels. 

Æ Operate at 4 Watts where there are 

two contiguous vacant TV channels 

rather than three as the rules currently 

require. 

Æ Operate closer to a TV station 

contour when the operating power is 

reduced. 

White Space Devices Operating in the 

600 MHz Guard Bands, Duplex Gap and 

Channel 37 

• Allow fixed and personal/portable 

devices to operate at 40 milliwatts in the 

guard bands and the upper six 

megahertz portion of the duplex gap. 

• Allow white space devices to 

operate on channel 37, subject to 

minimum separation distances enforced 

by the white spaces databases to protect 

the WMTS and RAS. 

• Require that fixed and personal/ 

portable devices operating in the 

repurposed 600 MHz Band comply with 

minimum separation distances from the 

areas where part 27 licensees have 

commenced operations. This would be 

enforced by the white spaces databases. 

Wireless Microphones 

• Codify new part 15 rules for 

unlicensed wireless microphones in the 

TV bands. Wireless microphones 

operating on an unlicensed basis are 

currently certified under the part 74 

rules. 

• Allow unlicensed wireless 

microphones to operate at 20 milliwatts 

in the 600 MHz guard bands and the 

upper six megahertz portion of the 

duplex gap. Unlicensed wireless 

microphones would have to rely on the 

white spaces databases to ensure they 

are operating on channels available for 

their use. 

• Allow licensed wireless 

microphones to operate at 20 milliwatts 

in the four megahertz portion of the 

duplex gap below the six megahertz 

portion used by white space devices and 

unlicensed wireless microphones. 

• Require wireless microphones 

operating in the repurposed 600 MHz 

Band to comply with minimum 

separation distances from the areas 

where part 27 600 MHz Band licensees 

have commenced operations. 

White Spaces Databases 

• Expand the databases to include 

location/frequency information for 

additional licensed services such as the 

WMTS and part 27 600 MHz Band 

services. 

• Require more frequent database rechecks by white space devices and 

faster database updates. This would 

enable wireless microphone users to 

register, on short NPRM, in the white 

spaces databases channels that would be 

protected from interference from white 

space devices. 

• Eliminate registration in the white 

spaces databases of channels used by 

unlicensed wireless microphones for 

protection from white space devices. 

Certification of White Space Devices 

and Wireless Microphones 

• White space devices would have to 

meet the following timetable for 

compliance with the shorter database recheck interval: 30 days for new 

equipment certification, 90 days for 

equipment importation and marketing, 

180 days for equipment operation. 

• Wireless microphones in the 

repurposed TV spectrum would have to 

meet the following cutoff dates, which 

are from the release of the channel 

reassignment public notice: 9 months 

for equipment certification, 18 months 

for importing and marketing equipment 

(the 39 month date for ceasing operation 

in the band was decided in the Incentive 

Auction R&O). 

E. Steps Taken To Minimize the 

Significant Economic Impact on Small 

Entities, and Significant Alternatives 

Considered 

200. The RFA requires an agency to 

describe any significant, specifically 

small business, alternatives that it has 

considered in reaching its proposed 

approach, which may include the 

following four alternatives (among 

others): ‘‘(1) the establishment of 

differing compliance or reporting 

requirements or timetables that take into 

account the resources available to small 

entities; (2) the clarification, 

consolidation, or simplification of 

compliance and reporting requirements 

under the rule for such small entities; 

(3) the use of performance rather than 

design standards; and (4) an exemption 

from coverage of the rule, or any part 

thereof, for such small entities.’’ 12

201. The rule changes proposed in the 

NPRM would give greater flexibility for 

fixed and personal/portable white space 

device operation. The majority of these 

changes are permissive, meaning that 

manufacturers of approved white space 

devices are not required to incorporate 

them into their equipment. However, 

the proposed requirement for white 

space devices to re-check a database at 

more frequent intervals would require 

changes to previously approved devices. 

We propose a transition period for 

equipment manufacturers and users to 

make the change. While we believe that 

only a short transition period is 

necessary, the NPRM seeks comment on 

whether the Commission should allow 

more time. 

202. Licensed and unlicensed 

wireless microphones that operate in 

the TV bands will be affected by the 

transition provisions adopted in the 

Incentive Auction R&O. The NPRM 

proposes transition periods that we 

believe are reasonable to minimize the 

burden on wireless microphone 

manufacturers and users, while 

implementing the Commission’s 

previous decision to transition users out 

of the repurposed TV spectrum within 

39 months. Specifically, we propose to 

allow manufacturers a period of nine 

months after the final 600 MHz Band 

Plan is announced before they may no 

longer certify wireless microphones that 

operate in the repurposed TV spectrum, 

and a period of 18 months before they 

must cease marketing them. The 

Commission also proposes that parties 

operating wireless microphones on an 

unlicensed basis may continue to use 

part 74 certified wireless microphones 

rather than part 15 certified wireless 

microphones until the end of the 39 

month transition to avoid users having 

to replace equipment more than once. 

203. The NPRM proposes a number of 

changes that would require the white 

space database administrators to make 

changes to their systems. For example, 

the NPRM would require the database 

administrators to implement new 

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protection requirements for the WMTS 

and part 27 wireless licensees, and 

modified protection requirements for 

TV stations and the RAS. The NPRM 

seeks information on the costs and 

burdens the proposed changes would 

place on the database administrators, 

and how the database administrators 

could recoup their costs. 

F. Federal Rules That May Duplicate, 

Overlap, or Conflict With the Proposed 

Rules 

204. None. 

205. Pursuant to Sections 1, 4(i), 7(a), 

301, 303(f), 303(g), 303(r), 307(e) and 

332 of the Communications Act of 1934, 

as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 

157(a), 301, 303(f), 303(g), 303(r), 307(e), 

and 332, this NPRM of Proposed Rule 

Making IS ADOPTED. 

206. The Commission’s Consumer and 

Governmental Affairs Bureau, Reference 

Information Center, SHALL SEND a 

copy of this NPRM of Proposed Rule 

Making, including the Initial Regulatory 

Flexibility Analysis to the Chief Counsel 

for Advocacy of the Small Business 

Administration. 

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Parts 15 

and 74 

Communications equipment, Radio, 

and Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements. 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene H. Dortch, 

Secretary. 

Proposed Rules 

For the reasons set forth in the 

preamble, the Federal Communications 

Commission proposes to amend 47 CFR 

parts 15 and 74 as follows: 

PART 15—RADIO FREQUENCY 

DEVICES 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 15 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 302a, 303, 304, 

307, 336, 544a, and 549. 

■ 2. Section 15.37 is amended by adding 

paragraph (i) and paragraph (j) to read 

as follows: 

§ 15.37 Transition provisions for 

compliance with the rules. 

* * * * * 

(i) Certification may no longer be 

obtained for wireless microphones that 

operate in the repurposed TV spectrum 

beginning nine months after release of 

the Channel Reassignment Public Notice 

issued pursuant to Expanding the 

Economic and Innovation Opportunities 

of Spectrum Through Incentive 

Auctions, Report and Order, GN Docket 

No. 12–268 (FCC 14–50), 29 FCC 6567 

(2014). Manufacturing and marketing of 

wireless microphones that operate in 

the repurposed TV spectrum must cease 

18 months after release of the Channel 

Reassignment Public Notice, and 

operation of these wireless microphones 

must cease 39 months after release of 

the Channel Reassignment Public 

Notice. 

(j) Fixed and Mode II personal/

portable white space devices for which 

an application for certification is filed 

beginning [30 days after the effective 

date of the rules] must comply with the 

database re-check requirements in 

§ 15.711(b)(3)(i) and (ii). Fixed and 

Mode II personal/portable white space 

devices that are marketed beginning [90 

days after the effective date of the rule] 

must comply with these requirements. 

Previously approved white space 

devices that do not comply with these 

requirements must cease operating no 

later than [180 days after the effective 

date of the rules]. 

■ 3. Section 15.236 is added to read as 

follows: 

§ 15.236 Operation of wireless 

microphones in the bands 54–72 MHz, 76– 

88 MHz, 174–216 MHz, 470–608 MHz and 

614–698 MHz. 

(a) Definitions. The following 

definitions apply in this section. 

(1) Wireless Microphone. An 

intentional radiator that converts sound 

into electrical audio signals that are 

transmitted using radio signals to a 

receiver which converts the radio 

signals back into audio signals that are 

sent through a sound recording or 

amplifying system. Wireless 

microphones may be used for cue and 

control communications and 

synchronization of TV camera signals as 

defined in § 74.801 of this chapter. 

Wireless microphones do not include 

auditory assistance devices as defined 

in § 15.3(a). 

(2) 600 MHz duplex gap. An 11 

megahertz guard band that separates 

wireless uplink and downlink 

frequencies within the 600 MHz Band as 

determined by the outcome of the 

auction conducted pursuant to 

Expanding the Economic and 

Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum 

Through Incentive Auctions, Report and 

Order, GN Docket No. 12–268 (FCC 14– 

50), 29 FCC 6567 (2014). 

(3) 600 MHz guard band. Designated 

frequency bands within the 600 MHz 

Band that prevent interference between 

licensed services as determined by the 

outcome of the auction conducted 

pursuant to Expanding the Economic 

and Innovation Opportunities of 

Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions, 

Report and Order, GN Docket No. 12– 

268 (FCC 14–50), 29 FCC 6567 (2014). 

(4) Repurposed 600 MHz Band. 

Frequencies that will be reallocated and 

reassigned for part 27 600 MHz Band 

services as determined by the outcome 

of the auction conducted pursuant to 

Expanding the Economic and 

Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum 

Through Incentive Auctions, Report and 

Order, GN Docket No. 12–268 (FCC 14– 

50), 29 FCC 6567 (2014). 

(b) Operation under this section is 

limited to wireless microphones as 

defined in this section. 

(c) Operation is permitted in the 

following bands. 

(1) Channels allocated and assigned 

for broadcast television service. 

(2) Television channels in the 

repurposed 600 MHz Band. Operation 

on these channels must cease no later 

than 39 months after release of the 

Channel Reassignment Public Notice 

issued pursuant to Expanding the 

Economic and Innovation Opportunities 

of Spectrum Through Incentive 

Auctions, Report and Order, GN Docket 

No. 12–268 (FCC 14–50), 29 FCC 6567 

(2014). Operation must cease 

immediately if harmful interference 

occurs to a 600 MHz Band licensee. 

(3) The upper six megahertz segment 

of the 600 MHz Band duplex gap. 

(4) The 600 MHz guard band between 

television and wireless downlink 

services, excluding the upper one 

megahertz segment. 

(5) The 600 MHz guard bands 

adjacent to channel 37, excluding the 

one megahertz segments furthest from 

channel 37. 

(6) Microphone operation in the 

frequencies identified in paragraphs 

(c)(3) through(5) of this section shall 

prior to operation rely on the white 

space databases in part 15, subpart H to 

determine that their intended operating 

frequencies are available for unlicensed 

wireless microphone operation at the 

location where they will be used. 

(d) The unmodulated carrier power at 

the antenna input may not exceed the 

following values. 

(1) In the bands allocated and 

assigned for broadcast television and in 

the repurposed 600 MHz Band: 50 mW 

(2) In the 600 MHz Band guard bands 

including the duplex gap: 20 mW. 

(e) Operation is limited to locations 

separated from licensed services by the 

following distances. 

(1) Four kilometers outside the 

following protected service contours of 

co-channel TV stations. 

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69740 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 225 / Friday, November 21, 2014 / Proposed Rules 

Type of station 

Protected contour 

Channel Contour 

(dBu) 

Propagation 

curve 

Analog: Class A TV, LPTV, translator and booster ........................................................ Low VHF (2–6) .......... 47 F(50,50) 

High VHF (7–13) ....... 56 F(50,50) 

UHF (14–51) .............. 64 F(50,50) 

Digital: Full service TV, Class A TV, LPTV, translator and booster ............................... Low VHF (2–6) .......... 28 F(50,90) 

High VHF (7–13) ....... 36 F(50,90) 

UHF (14–51) .............. 41 F(50,90) 

(2) The following distances outside of 

the area where a 600 MHz Band licensee 

has commenced operations. 

Type of station 

Separation distance in 

kilometers 

Co-channel Adjacent 

channel 

Base .................. 15 0.4 

Mobile ............... 35 31 

(f) The operating frequency within a 

permissible band of operation as 

defined in paragraph (b) of this section 

must comply with the following 

requirements. 

(1) The frequency selection shall be 

offset from the upper or lower band 

limits by 25 kHz or an integral multiple 

thereof. 

(2) One or more adjacent 25 kHz 

segments within the assignable 

frequencies may be combined to form a 

channel whose maximum bandwidth 

shall not exceed 200 kHz. The operating 

bandwidth shall not exceed 200 kHz. 

(3) The frequency tolerance of the 

carrier signal shall be maintained within 

+/¥ 0.005% of the operating frequency 

over a temperature variation of -20 

degrees to +50 degrees C at normal 

supply voltage, and for a variation in the 

primary supply voltage from 85% to 

115% of the rated supply voltage at a 

temperature of 20 degrees C. Battery 

operated equipment shall be tested 

using a new battery. 

(g) Emissions within the band from 

one megahertz below to one megahertz 

above the carrier frequency shall 

comply with the emission mask in 

Section 8.3 of ETSI EN 300 422–1, 

Electromagnetic compatibility and 

Radio spectrum Matters (ERM); Wireless 

microphones in the 25 MHz to 3 GHz 

frequency range; Part 1: Technical 

characteristics and methods of 

measurement. Emissions outside this 

band shall comply with the limits in 

§ 15.209. 

■ 4. Revise the heading of subpart H to 

part 15 to read as follows: 

Subpart H—White Space Devices 

■ 5. Section 15.701 is revised to read as 

follows: 

§ 15.701 Scope. 

This subpart sets forth the regulations 

for unlicensed intentional radiators that 

operate on available channels in the 

frequency bands at 54–72 MHz (TV 

channels 2–4), 76–88 MHz (TV channels 

5–6), 174–216 MHz (TV channels 7–13), 

and 470–698 MHz (TV channels 14–51). 

■ 6. Section 15.703 is amended by 

revising paragraphs (a), (c), (i), (k), (l), 

(m), (n) and adding paragraphs, (o), (p), 

(q) and (r) to read as follows: 

§ 15.703 Definitions. 

(a) Available channel. A channel 

which is not being used by an 

authorized service at or near the same 

geographic location as an unlicensed 

device and is acceptable for use by the 

device under the provisions of this 

subpart. 

* * * * * 

(c) Fixed device. A device that 

transmits and/or receives 

radiocommunication signals at a 

specified fixed location. A fixed device 

may select channels for operation itself 

from a list of available channels 

provided by a white spaces database, 

and initiate and operate a network by 

sending enabling signals to one or more 

fixed devices and/or personal/portable 

devices. 

* * * * * 

(i) Personal/portable device. A device 

that transmits and/or receives 

radiocommunication signals on 

available channels at unspecified 

locations that may change. 

* * * * * 

(k) Repurposed 600 MHz Band. 

Frequencies that will be reallocated and 

reassigned for part 27 600 MHz Band 

services as determined by the outcome 

of the auction conducted pursuant to 

Expanding the Economic and 

Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum 

Through Incentive Auctions, Report and 

Order, GN Docket No. 12–268 (FCC 14– 

50), 29 FCC 6567 (2014). 

(l) Sensing only device. A personal/

portable TVBD that uses spectrum 

sensing to determine a list of available 

channels. Sensing only devices may 

transmit on any available channels in 

the frequency bands 512–608 MHz (TV 

channels 21–36) and 614–698 MHz (TV 

channels 38–51). 

(m) Spectrum sensing. A process 

whereby a TVBD monitors a television 

channel to detect whether the channel 

is occupied by a radio signal or signals 

from authorized services. 

(n) Television bands. The portions of 

the broadcast television frequency 

bands at 54–72 MHz (TV channels 2–4), 

76–88 MHz (TV channels 5–6), 174–216 

MHz (TV channels 7–13), 470–608 MHz 

(channels 14–36) and 614–698 MHz 

(channels 38–51) that will be allocated 

and assigned to broadcast television 

licensees consistent with the outcome of 

the auction conducted pursuant to 

Expanding the Economic and 

Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum 

Through Incentive Auctions, Report and 

Order, GN Docket No. 12–268 (FCC 14– 

50), 29 FCC 6567 (2014). 

(o) White space device. An intentional 

radiator that operates in the television 

bands, the 600 MHz Band or on channel 

37 accordance with the provisions of 

this subpart. 

(p) White spaces database. A database 

system that maintains records of all 

authorized services in the television and 

600 MHz frequency bands, is capable of 

determining the available channels as a 

specific geographic location and 

provides lists of available channels to 

unlicensed devices that have been 

certified under the Commission’s 

equipment authorization procedures. 

White spaces databases that provide 

lists of available channels to unlicensed 

devices must receive approval by the 

Commission. 

(q) 600 MHz duplex gap. An 11 

megahertz guard band that separates 

wireless uplink and downlink 

frequencies within the 600 MHz Band as 

determined by the outcome of the 

auction conducted pursuant to 

Expanding the Economic and 

Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum 

Through Incentive Auctions, Report and 

Order, GN Docket No. 12–268 (FCC 14– 

50), 29 FCC 6567 (2014). 

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(r) 600 MHz guard band. Designated 

frequency bands within the 600 MHz 

Band that prevent interference between 

licensed services as determined by the 

outcome of the auction conducted 

pursuant to Expanding the Economic 

and Innovation Opportunities of 

Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions, 

Report and Order, GN Docket No. 12– 

268 (FCC 14–50), 29 FCC 6567 (2014). 

■ 7. Section 15.707 is revised to read as 

follows: 

§ 15.707 Permissible channels of 

operation. 

(a)(1) Fixed and personal/portable 

white space devices may operate on 

available channels in the frequency 

bands 470–608 (TV channels 14–36), 

512–608 MHz (TV channels 21–36) and 

614–698 MHz (TV channels 38–51), 

subject to the interference protection 

requirements in §§ 15.711 and 15.712. 

(2) Fixed and personal/portable 

devices may operate on frequencies in 

the repurposed 600 MHz Band in areas 

where part 27 600 MHz Band licensees 

have not commenced operations, as 

defined in part 27 of this chapter. 

(b) Only fixed devices that 

communicate with other fixed devices 

may operate on available channels in 

the bands 54–72 MHz (TV channels 2– 

4), 76–88 MHz (TV channels 5 and 6) 

and 174–216 MHz (TV channels 7–13) 

subject to the interference protection 

requirements in §§ 15.711 and 15.712. 

(c) Fixed and Mode II personal/

portable devices shall operate only on 

available channels as identified in 

paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section 

and as determined by a white spaces 

database in accordance with the 

interference avoidance mechanisms of 

§§ 15.711 and 15.712. 

(d) Mode I personal/portable devices 

shall operate only on available channels 

as identified in paragraph (a)(1) of this 

section and provided from a fixed or 

Mode II device in accordance with 

§ 15.711(b)(3)(iv). 

(e) Fixed and personal/portable 

devices may operate in the upper six 

megahertz segment of the 600 MHz 

duplex gap. 

(f) Fixed and personal/portable 

devices may operate in the 600 MHz 

guard band between television and 

wireless downlink services, excluding 

the upper three megahertz segment, 

provided this guard band is at least nine 

megahertz wide. 

■ 8. Section 15.709 is amended by 

revising paragraphs (a) and (c) to read as 

follows: 

§ 15.709 General technical requirements. 

(a) Power limits for white space 

devices. (1) The maximum EIRP for 

fixed white space devices operating in 

the television bands and repurposed 600 

MHz Band shall not exceed the 

following values: 

(i) If the device complies with the 

minimum separation distances outside 

adjacent channel television service 

contours in § 15.712(a): four watts (36 

dBm) per six megahertz of bandwidth 

on which the device operates. 

(ii) If the device operates within a six 

megahertz band centered on the 

boundary between two available 

channels: four watts (36 dBm) per six 

megahertz of bandwidth on which the 

device operates. 

(iii) If the device operates adjacent to 

an occupied television channel, i.e., 

within its protected service contour: 40 

mW (16 dBm) per six megahertz of 

bandwidth on which the device 

operates. 

(2) The maximum EIRP for personal/ 

portable white space devices operating 

in the television bands and repurposed 

600 MHz Band shall not exceed the 

following values: 

(i) If the device complies with the 

minimum separation distances outside 

adjacent channel television service 

contours in § 15.712(a): 100 mW (20 

dBm) per six megahertz of bandwidth 

on which the device operates. 

(ii) If the device operates adjacent to 

an occupied television channel, i.e., 

within its protected service contour: 40 

mW (16 dBm) per six megahertz of 

bandwidth on which the device 

operates. 

(3) The maximum EIRP for fixed and 

personal/portable white space devices 

operating in the 600 MHz guard band 

and duplex gap shall not exceed 40 mW 

(16 dBm). 

(4) The maximum EIRP for fixed 

white space devices operating on 

channel 37 shall not exceed the 

following values: 

(i) If channels 36 and 38 are allocated 

and assigned for television broadcasting 

and the device complies with the 

minimum separation distances outside 

adjacent channel television service 

contours in § 15.712(a): four watts (36 

dBm) per six megahertz of bandwidth 

on which the device operates. 

(ii) If channels 36 and 38 are allocated 

and assigned for television broadcasting 

and the device operates within a six 

megahertz band centered on the 

boundary between channel 37 and an 

available adjacent channel: four watts 

(36 dBm) per six megahertz of 

bandwidth on which the device 

operates. 

(iii) If channels 36 and 38 are 

allocated and assigned for television 

broadcasting and the device operates 

adjacent to an occupied television 

channel, i.e., within its protected 

service contour, or if one or both of the 

adjacent bands are designated as 600 

MHz guard bands: 40 mW (16 dBm) per 

six megahertz of bandwidth on which 

the device operates. 

(5) Mode I personal/portable devices 

that operate on available channels 

provided by a Mode II device that 

operates within the protected service 

contour of an adjacent channel 

television station are limited to a 

maximum EIRP of 40 milliwatts (16 

dBm) per six megahertz of bandwidth 

on which the device operates. 

(6) Fixed devices with a four watt 

EIRP limit may operate closer to cochannel and adjacent channel television 

stations and other protected services at 

reduced power levels. The following 

table shows the power levels at which 

separation distances are defined. 

Devices operating at a particular EIRP 

level must comply with the limit on 

conducted power to the antenna. The 

power delivered to the transmitting 

antenna is the maximum conducted 

output power reduced by the signal loss 

experienced in the cable used to 

connect the transmitter to the transmit 

antenna. The conducted power limits 

are based on a maximum transmitting 

antenna gain of 6 dBi. If transmitting 

antennas of directional gain greater than 

6 dBi are used, the maximum conducted 

output power shall be reduced by the 

amount in dB that the directional gain 

of the antenna exceeds 6 dBi. Operation 

is permitted at EIRP levels between the 

values in this table, provided the 

conducted power limit is interpolated 

between the values shown. 

EIRP 

(6 MHz) 

Conducted power 

limit 

(6 MHz) 

16 dBm (40 mW) ......... 10 dBm (10 mW). 

20 dBm (100 mW) ....... 14 dBm (25 mW). 

24 dBm (250 mW) ....... 18 dBm (63 mW). 

28 dBm (625 mW) ....... 22 dBm (158 mW). 

32 dBm (1600 mW) ..... 26 dBm (400 mW). 

36 dBm (4000 mW) ..... 30 dBm (1000 mW). 

(7) Maximum conducted output 

power is the total transmit power over 

the occupied bandwidth delivered to all 

antennas and antenna elements 

averaged across all symbols in the 

signaling alphabet when the transmitter 

is operating at its maximum power 

control level. Power must be summed 

across all antennas and antenna 

elements. The average must not include 

any time intervals during which the 

transmitter is off or is transmitting at a 

reduced power level. If multiple modes 

of operation are possible (e.g., 

alternative modulation methods), the 

maximum conducted output power is 

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the highest total transmit power 

occurring in any mode. 

(8) White space devices shall 

incorporate transmit power control to 

limit their operating power to the 

minimum necessary for successful 

communication. Applicants for 

equipment certification shall include a 

description of a device’s transmit power 

control feature mechanism. 

(9) The power spectral density from a 

white space device shall not be greater 

than the following values when 

measured in any 100 kHz band during 

any time interval of continuous 

transmission. 

(i) Fixed devices: The values shown 

in the following table. If transmitting 

antennas of directional gain greater than 

6 dBi are used, the conducted power 

level shall be reduced by the amount in 

dB that the directional gain of the 

antenna exceeds 6 dBi. If the conducted 

power of the device is between two 

defined levels, then the PSD limit must 

be interpolated between the values 

shown. 

Conducted power limit 

(6 MHz) 

Conducted PSD 

limit 

(100 kHz) 

10 dBm (10 mW) ......... ¥7.4 dBm. 

14 dBm (25 mW) ......... ¥3.4 dBm. 

18 dBm (63 mW) ......... 0.6 dBm. 

22 dBm (158 mW) ....... 4.6 dBm. 

26 dBm (400 mW) ....... 8.6 dBm. 

30 dBm (1000 mW) ..... 12.6 dBm. 

(ii) Personal/portable device operating 

at 40 mW: ¥1.4 dBm EIRP. 

(iii) Sensing-only devices operating at 

50 mW: ¥0.4 dBm EIRP. 

(iv) Personal/portable devices 

operating at 100 mW: 2.6 dBm EIRP. 

(10) White space devices shall 

incorporate adequate security measures 

to prevent the devices from accessing 

databases not approved by the FCC and 

to ensure that unauthorized parties 

cannot modify the device or configure 

its control features to operate in a 

manner inconsistent with the rules and 

protection criteria set forth in this 

subpart. 

* * * * * 

(c) Emission limits for white space 

devices. (1) In the six megahertz bands 

immediately adjacent to the channel or 

group of contiguous channels in which 

the device is operating, emissions from 

the device shall not exceed the 

following levels. 

(i) Fixed devices: The values shown 

in the following table. If transmitting 

antennas of directional gain greater than 

6 dBi are used, the conducted power 

level shall be reduced by the amount in 

dB that the directional gain of the 

antenna exceeds 6 dBi. If a device 

operates between two defined power 

levels, it must comply with the limit for 

the higher power level. 

Conducted power limit 

(6 MHz) 

Adjacent channel 

emission limit 

(100 kHz) 

10 dBm (10 mW) ......... ¥62.8 dBm. 

14 dBm (25 mW) ......... ¥58.8 dBm. 

18 dBm (63 mW) ......... ¥54.8 dBm. 

22 dBm (158 mW) ....... ¥50.8 dBm. 

26 dBm (400 mW) ....... ¥46.8 dBm. 

30 dBm (1000 mW) ..... ¥42.8 dBm. 

(ii) Personal/portable devices 

operating at 40 mW EIRP: ¥56.8 dBm 

EIRP. 

(iii) Sensing-only devices operating at 

50 mW EIRP: ¥55.8 dBm EIRP. 

(iv) Personal/portable devices 

operating at 100 mW: ¥52.8 dBm EIRP. 

(2) Emission measurements in the 

adjacent bands shall be performed using 

a minimum resolution bandwidth of 100 

kHz with an average detector. A 

narrower resolution bandwidth may be 

employed near the band edge, when 

necessary, provided the measured 

energy is integrated to show the total 

power over 100 kHz. 

(3) At frequencies beyond the six 

megahertz bands immediately adjacent 

to the channel or group of contiguous 

channels in which the device is 

operating, the radiated emissions from 

devices shall meet the requirements of 

§ 15.209. If a white space device 

transmits on multiple non-contiguous 

channels simultaneously, it must 

comply with the adjacent channel 

emission limits in the six megahertz 

bands above and below each of the 

single channels or channel groups used 

by the white space device, and the 

requirements of § 15.209 beyond these 

six megahertz bands. 

(4) White space devices connected to 

the AC power line are required to 

comply with the conducted limits set 

forth in § 15.207. 

* * * * * 

■ 9. Section 15.711 is amended by 

revising the introductory text and 

paragraphs (a), (b)(3)(i) and (ii), 

removing and reserving paragraph 

(b)(3)(iii), and revising paragraph 

(b)(3)(v) to read as follows: 

§ 15.711 Interference avoidance methods. 

Except as provided in § 15.717, 

television channel availability for a 

white space device is determined based 

on the geo-location and database access 

method described in paragraphs (a) and 

(b) of this section. 

(a) Geo-location and database access. 

A white space device shall rely on the 

geo-location and database access 

mechanism to identify available 

channels consistent with the 

interference protection requirements of 

§ 15.712. Such protection will be 

provided for the following authorized 

and unlicensed services: Digital 

television stations, digital and analog 

Class A, low power, translator and 

booster stations; translator receive 

operations; fixed broadcast auxiliary 

service links; private land mobile 

service/commercial radio service 

(PLMRS/CMRS) operations; offshore 

radiotelephone service; low power 

auxiliary services authorized pursuant 

to §§ 74.801 through 74.882 of this 

chapter, including licensed wireless 

microphones; MVPD receive sites; 

wireless medical telemetry service 

(WMTS); radio astronomy service (RAS) 

and part 27 600 MHz Band licensees 

where they have commenced 

operations. In addition, protection shall 

be provided in border areas near Canada 

and Mexico in accordance with 

§ 15.712(g). 

(b) * * * 

(3)(i) Fixed devices must access a 

white spaces database over the Internet 

to determine the channels that are 

available at their geographic 

coordinates, taking into consideration 

the fixed device’s antenna height and 

operating power, prior to their initial 

service transmission at a given location. 

Operation is permitted only on channels 

that are indicated in the database as 

being available for their use. Fixed 

devices shall access the database at least 

once every 20 minutes to verify that the 

operating channels continue to remain 

available. Operation on a channel must 

cease immediately if the database 

indicates that the channel is no longer 

available. Fixed devices must adjust 

their use of channels in accordance with 

channel availability schedule 

information provided by their database 

for the 60 minute period beginning at 

the time of the device last accessed the 

database for a list of available channels. 

(ii) Mode II personal/portable devices 

must access a white spaces database 

over the internet to determine the 

channels that are available at their 

geographic coordinates, taking into 

account the device’s operating power, 

prior to their initial service transmission 

at a given location. Operation is 

permitted only on channels that are 

indicated in the database as being 

available for personal/portable devices. 

A Mode II device must access the 

database for a list of available channels 

each time it is activated from a poweroff condition and re-check its location 

and the database for available channels 

if it changes location during operation 

by more than 100 meters from the 

location at which it last accessed the 

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database. A Mode II device that has 

been in a powered state shall re-check 

its location and access the database 

every 20 minutes to verify that the 

operating channel(s) continue to be 

available. Mode II devices must adjust 

their use of channels in accordance with 

channel availability schedule 

information provided by their database 

for the 60 minute period beginning at 

the time of the device last accessed the 

database for a list of available channels. 

A Mode II device may load channel 

availability information for multiple 

locations around, i.e., in the vicinity of, 

its current location and use that 

information in its operation. A Mode II 

device may use such available channel 

information to define a geographic area 

within which it can operate on the same 

available channels at all locations, for 

example a Mode II device could 

calculate a bounded area in which a 

channel or channels are available at all 

locations within the area and operate on 

a mobile basis within that area. A Mode 

II device using such channel availability 

information for multiple locations must 

contact the database again if/when it 

moves beyond the boundary of the area 

where the channel availability data is 

valid, and must access the database 

once every 20 minutes even if it has not 

moved beyond that range to verify that 

the operating channel(s) continue to be 

available. Operation must cease 

immediately if the database indicates 

that the channel is no longer available. 

* * * * * 

(v) Device manufacturers and 

database administrators may implement 

a system that pushes updated channel 

availability information from the 

database to white space devices. 

However, the use of such systems is not 

mandatory, and the requirements for 

white space devices to validate the 

operating channel at least once every 20 

minutes continue to apply if such a 

system is used. 

* * * * * 

■ 10. Section 15.712 is amended by 

revising paragraphs (a), (f), and (h), and 

by adding paragraphs (i) and (j) to read 

as follows: 

§ 15.712 Interference protection 

requirements. 

(a) Digital television stations, and 

digital and analog Class A TV, low 

power TV, TV translator and TV booster 

stations: 

(1) Protected contour. White space 

devices must protect digital and analog 

TV services within the contours shown 

in the following table. These contours 

are calculated using the methodology in 

§ 73.684 of this chapter and the R–6602 

curves contained in § 73.699 of this 

chapter. 

Type of station 

Protected contour 

Channel Contour 

(dBu) Propagation curve 

Analog: Class A TV, LPTV, translator and booster ............................................ Low VHF (2–6) .......... 47 F(50,50) 

High VHF (7–13) ....... 56 F(50,50) 

UHF (14–69) .............. 64 F(50,50) 

Digital: Full service TV, Class A TV, LPTV, translator and booster ................... Low VHF (2–6) .......... 28 F(50,90) 

High VHF (7–13) ....... 36 F(50,90) 

UHF (14–51) .............. 41 F(50,90) 

(2) Required separation distance. 

White space devices must be located 

outside the contours indicated in 

paragraph (a)(1) of this section of cochannel and adjacent channel stations 

by at least the minimum distances 

specified in the following tables. If a 

device operates between two defined 

power levels, it must comply with the 

separation distances for the higher 

power level. Fixed and personal/

portable devices operating at an EIRP of 

40 mW or less are not required to meet 

adjacent channel separation distances. 

Antenna height above average terrain 

of unlicensed device 

Required separation in kilometers from co-channel digital or analog TV (full service or 

low power) protected contour 

16 dBm 

(40 mW) 

20 dBm 

(100 mW) 

24 dBm 

(250 mW) 

28 dBm 

(625 mW) 

32 dBm 

(1600 mW) 

36 dBm 

(4 watts) 

Personal/portable ............................................................. 1.3 1.7 N/A N/A N/A N/A 

Less than 3 meters .......................................................... 1.3 1.7 2.1 2.7 3.3 4.0 

3–Less than 10 meters .................................................... 2.4 3.1 3.8 4.8 6.1 7.3 

10–Less than 30 meters .................................................. 4.2 5.1 6.0 7.1 8.9 11.1 

30–Less than 50 meters .................................................. 5.4 6.5 7.7 9.2 11.5 14.3 

50–Less than 75 meters .................................................. 6.6 7.9 9.4 11.1 13.9 18.0 

75–Less than 100 meters ................................................ 7.7 9.2 10.9 12.8 17.2 21.1 

100–Less than 150 meters .............................................. 9.4 11.1 13.2 16.5 21.4 25.3 

150–Less than 200 meters .............................................. 10.9 12.7 15.8 19.5 24.7 28.5 

200–250 meters ............................................................... 12.1 14.3 18.2 22.0 27.3 31.2 

Antenna height above average terrain of unlicensed device 

Required separation in kilometers from adjacent channel digital or 

analog TV (full service or low power) protected contour 

20 dBm 

(100 mW) 

24 dBm 

(250 mW) 

28 dBm 

(625 mW) 

32 dBm 

(1600 mW) 

36 dBm 

(4 watts) 

Personal/portable ..................................................................................... 0.1 N/A N/A N/A N/A 

Less than 3 meters .................................................................................. 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 

3–Less than 10 meters ............................................................................ 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 

10–Less than 30 meters .......................................................................... 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.5 

30–Less than 50 meters .......................................................................... 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.7 

50–Less than 75 meters .......................................................................... 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.7 0.8 

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Antenna height above average terrain of unlicensed device 

Required separation in kilometers from adjacent channel digital or 

analog TV (full service or low power) protected contour 

20 dBm 

(100 mW) 

24 dBm 

(250 mW) 

28 dBm 

(625 mW) 

32 dBm 

(1600 mW) 

36 dBm 

(4 watts) 

75–Less than 100 meters ........................................................................ 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.8 1.0 

100–Less than 150 meters ...................................................................... 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.9 1.2 

150–Less than 200 meters ...................................................................... 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.4 

200–250 meters ....................................................................................... 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.5 

(3) The antenna height above ground 

for a fixed device may not exceed 30 

meters. 

* * * * * 

(f) Low power auxiliary services, 

including wireless microphones: Fixed 

devices are not permitted to operate 

within 1 km, and personal/portable 

white space devices will not be 

permitted to operate within 400 meters, 

of the coordinates of registered low 

power auxiliary station sites on the 

registered channels during the 

designated times they are used by low 

power auxiliary stations. 

* * * * * 

(h) Radio astronomy services: (1) 

Operation of fixed and personal/

portable devices is prohibited within 2.4 

kilometers at the following locations. 

(i) The Naval Radio Research 

Observatory in Sugar Grove, West 

Virginia at 38 30 58 N and 79 16 48 W. 

(ii) The Table Mountain Radio 

Receiving Zone (TMRZ) at 40 08 02 N 

and 105 14 40 W. 

(iii) The following facilities: 

Observatory Latitude 

(deg/min/sec) 

Longitude 

(deg/min/sec) 

Arecibo Observatory .......................................................................................................................................... 18 20 37 N 066 45 11 W 

Green Bank Telescope (GBT) ........................................................................................................................... 38 25 59 N 079 50 23 W 

Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) Stations: 

Pie Town, NM ............................................................................................................................................. 34 18 04 N 108 07 09 W 

Kitt Peak, AZ .............................................................................................................................................. 31 57 23 N 111 36 45 W 

Los Alamos, NM ......................................................................................................................................... 35 46 30 N 106 14 44 W 

Ft. Davis, TX ............................................................................................................................................... 30 38 06 N 103 56 41 W 

N. Liberty, IA ............................................................................................................................................... 41 46 17 N 091 34 27 W 

Brewster, WA .............................................................................................................................................. 48 07 52 N 119 41 00 W 

Owens Valley, CA ...................................................................................................................................... 37 13 54 N 118 16 37 W 

St. Croix, VI ................................................................................................................................................ 17 45 24 N 064 35 03 W 

Hancock, NH .............................................................................................................................................. 42 56 01 N 071 59 12 W 

Mauna Kea, HI ........................................................................................................................................... 19 48 05 N 155 27 20 W 

(2) White space devices may not 

operate on channel 37 within the quiet 

zone at Green Bank WV defined in 

§ 1.924(a) of this chapter or within the 

quiet zone on the islands of Puerto Rico, 

Desecheo, Mona, Vieques or Culebra 

defined in § 1.924(d) of this chapter. 

(i) WMTS: Devices operating on 

channel 37 must comply with the 

following co-channel and adjacent 

channel separation distances from 

WMTS receivers. 

Antenna height above average terrain 

of unlicensed device 

Required co-channel separation distances in kilometers from WMTS sites 

16 dBm 

(40 mW) 

20 dBm 

(100 mW) 

24 dBm 

(250 mW) 

28 dBm 

(625 mW) 

32 dBm 

(1600 mW) 

36 dBm 

(4 watts) 

Less than 3 meters .......................................................... 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.8 1.0 

3–Less than 10 meters .................................................... 0.6 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.4 1.7 

10–Less than 30 meters .................................................. 1.0 1.2 1.5 1.9 2.7 2.9 

30–Less than 50 meters .................................................. 1.2 1.6 2.1 2.4 3.0 3.8 

50–Less than 75 meters .................................................. 1.5 1.9 2.4 2.9 3.6 4.5 

75–Less than 100 meters ................................................ 1.7 2.2 2.7 3.3 4.2 5.3 

100–Less than 150 meters .............................................. 2.1 2.7 3.1 3.8 5.0 6.5 

150–Less than 200 meters .............................................. 2.5 3.1 3.4 4.3 5.8 7.4 

200–250 meters ............................................................... 2.8 3.5 3.7 4.7 6.3 8.0 

Antenna height above average terrain 

of unlicensed device 

Required adjacent channel separation distances in kilometers from WMTS sites 

16 dBm 

(40 mW) 

20 dBm 

(100 mW) 

24 dBm 

(250 mW) 

28 dBm 

(625 mW) 

32 dBm 

(1600 mW) 

36 dBm 

(4 watts) 

Personal/portable ............................................................. 0.1 0.1 N/A N/A N/A N/A 

Less than 3 meters .......................................................... 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 

3–Less than 10 meters .................................................... 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 

10–Less than 30 meters .................................................. 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 

30–Less than 50 meters .................................................. 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 

50–Less than 75 meters .................................................. 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 

75–Less than 100 meters ................................................ 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.4 

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 225 / Friday, November 21, 2014 / Proposed Rules 69745 

Antenna height above average terrain 

of unlicensed device 

Required adjacent channel separation distances in kilometers from WMTS sites 

16 dBm 

(40 mW) 

20 dBm 

(100 mW) 

24 dBm 

(250 mW) 

28 dBm 

(625 mW) 

32 dBm 

(1600 mW) 

36 dBm 

(4 watts) 

100–Less than 150 meters .............................................. 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 

150–Less than 200 meters .............................................. 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.6 

200–250 meters ............................................................... 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 

(j) Repurposed 600 MHz band: Fixed 

and personal/portable devices operating 

in the repurposed 600 MHz Band must 

comply with the following co-channel 

and adjacent channel separation 

distances outside the defined polygonal 

area encompassing the base stations 

deployed by a part 27 600 MHz Band 

licensee that has commenced operation. 

For the purpose of this rule, co-channel 

means any frequency overlap between a 

channel used by a white space device 

and a five megahertz spectrum block 

used by a part 27 600 MHz Band 

licensee, and adjacent channel means a 

frequency separation of zero to four 

megahertz between the edge of a 

channel used by a white space device 

and the edge of a five megahertz 

spectrum block used by a part 27 600 

MHz Band licensee. 

(1) On frequencies used by wireless 

uplink services: 

Antenna height above average terrain 

of unlicensed device 

Required co-channel separation distances in kilometers between white space devices 

in the uplink band and 600 MHz Band base stations 

16 dBm 

(40 mW) 

20 dBm 

(100 mW) 

24 dBm 

(250 mW) 

28 dBm 

(625 mW) 

32 dBm 

(1600 mW) 

36 dBm 

(4 watts) 

Less than 3 meters .......................................................... 5 6 7 9 12 15 

3–Less than 10 meters .................................................... 9 11 14 17 22 27 

10–Less than 30 meters .................................................. 15 19 24 30 38 47 

30–Less than 50 meters .................................................. 20 24 31 38 49 60 

50–Less than 75 meters .................................................. 24 30 37 47 60 60 

75–Less than 100 meters ................................................ 27 34 43 54 60 60 

100–Less than 150 meters .............................................. 33 42 53 60 60 60 

150–Less than 200 meters .............................................. 39 49 60 60 60 60 

200–250 meters ............................................................... 43 54 60 60 60 60 

Antenna height above average terrain 

of unlicensed device 

Required adjacent channel separation distances in meters between white space 

devices in the uplink band and 600 MHz Band base stations 

16 dBm 

(40 mW) 

20 dBm 

(100 mW) 

24 dBm 

(250 mW) 

28 dBm 

(625 mW) 

32 dBm 

(1600 mW) 

36 dBm 

(4 watts) 

Less than 3 meters .......................................................... 112 141 177 223 282 354 

3–Less than 10 meters .................................................... 204 257 323 407 514 646 

10–Less than 30 meters .................................................. 354 445 560 704 890 1120 

30–Less than 50 meters .................................................. 457 575 723 909 1150 1446 

50–Less than 75 meters .................................................. 560 704 885 1113 1408 1770 

75–Less than 100 meters ................................................ 646 813 1022 1285 1626 2044 

100–Less than 150 meters .............................................. 792 996 1252 1574 1991 2504 

150–Less than 200 meters .............................................. 914 1150 1446 1818 2299 2891 

200–250 meters ............................................................... 1022 1285 1616 2033 2571 3232 

(2) On frequencies used by wireless 

downlink services: 35 kilometers for cochannel operation, and 31 kilometers for 

adjacent channel operation. 

■ 11. Section 15.713 is amended by: 

■ a. Revising the section heading; 

■ b. Adding paragraph (b)(2)(v); and 

■ c. Revising paragraph (h)(4), removing 

and reserving paragraph (h)(9), revising 

paragraph (h)(10), and adding paragraph 

(h)(11). 

The revisions and additions read as 

follows: 

§ 15.713 White spaces database. 

* * * * * 

(b) * * * 

(2) * * * 

(v) WMTS operating locations. 

* * * * * 

(h) * * * 

(4) PLMRS/CMRS base station 

operations located more than 80 km 

from the geographic centers of the 13 

metropolitan areas defined in 

§ 90.303(a) of this chapter (e.g., in 

accordance with a waiver). 

(i) Transmitter location (latitude and 

longitude in NAD 83) or geographic area 

of operations. 

(ii) TV channel of operation. 

(iii) Call sign. 

* * * * * 

(10) 600 MHz Band in areas where the 

part 27 600 MHz Band licensee has 

commenced operations. 

(i) Area within a part 27 600 MHz 

Band licensee’s PEA where it has 

commenced or will commence 

operations. This area must be delineated 

by at minimum of eight and a maximum 

of 120 geographic coordinates; 

(ii) Identification of the frequencies 

on which the part 27 600 MHz Band 

wireless licensee has commenced 

operations; 

(iii) Call sign. 

(iv) Date of commencement of 

operations. 

(11) WMTS operating locations 

obtained from the WMTS frequency 

coordination database established under 

§ 95.1113(b)(2) of this chapter. 

(i) Frequency of operation (i.e., 

channel 37), 

(ii) Geographic coordinates of 

transmitters, and 

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69746 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 225 / Friday, November 21, 2014 / Proposed Rules 

(iii) Cross reference to the registration 

in the WMTS frequency coordination 

database (e.g., record number). 

* * * * * 

■ 12. Section 15.714 is amended by 

revising the section heading and 

paragraph (a) to read as follows: 

§ 15.714 White spaces database 

administration fees. 

(a) A white spaces database 

administrator may charge a fee for 

provision of lists of available channels 

to fixed and personal/portable devices 

and for registering fixed devices. This 

provision applies to devices that operate 

in the TV bands, the repurposed 600 

MHz Band, the 600 MHz guard bands, 

including the duplex gap, and Channel 

37. White spaces database 

administrators may also charge fees for 

providing lists of available channels to 

users of unlicensed wireless 

microphones. 

* * * * * 

■ 13. Section 15.715 is amended by 

revising the section heading and 

paragraph (l), and by adding paragraphs 

(n) and (o) to read as follows: 

§ 15.715 White spaces database 

administrator. 

* * * * * 

(l) If more than one database is 

developed, the database administrators 

shall cooperate to develop a 

standardized process for providing the 

data collected for the facilities listed in 

§ 15.713(b)(2) to all other white spaces 

databases within ten minutes to ensure 

consistency in the records of protected 

facilities. 

* * * * * 

(n) Establish a procedure for 

registering the locations, operating 

frequencies and starting dates for the 

areas where a part 27 600 MHz Band 

licensee has commenced operations. 

(o) Establish a procedure for obtaining 

the locations where the WMTS is used 

from the WMTS coordination database 

established under § 95.1117(b)(2) of this 

chapter. 

PART 74—EXPERIMENTAL RADIO, 

AUXILIARY, SPECIAL BROADCAST 

AND OTHER PROGRAM 

DISTRIBUTIONAL SERVICES 

■ 14. The authority citation for part 74 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 302a, 303, 307, 

309, 336 and 554. 

■ 15. Section 74.801 is amended by 

adding the definitions for ‘‘600 MHz 

duplex gap’’ and ‘‘Repurposed 600 MHz 

Band’’ in alphabetical order to read as 

follows: 

§ 74.801 Definitions. 

600 MHz duplex gap. An 11 

megahertz guard band that separates 

wireless uplink and downlink 

frequencies within the 600 MHz Band as 

determined by the outcome of the 

auction conducted pursuant to 

Expanding the Economic and 

Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum 

Through Incentive Auctions, Report and 

Order, GN Docket No. 12–268 (FCC 14– 

50), 29 FCC 6567 (2014). 

Repurposed 600 MHz Band. 

Frequencies that will be reallocated and 

reassigned for part 27 600 MHz Band 

services as determined by the outcome 

of the auction conducted pursuant to 

Expanding the Economic and 

Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum 

Through Incentive Auctions, Report and 

Order, GN Docket No. 12–268 (FCC 14– 

50), 29 FCC 6567 (2014). 

■ 16. Section 74.802 is amended by 

revising paragraphs (a) and paragraph 

(c) introductory text to read as follows: 

§ 74.802 Frequency assignment. 

(a) Frequencies within the following 

bands may be assigned for use by low 

power auxiliary stations: 

26.100–26.480 MHz 

54.000–72.000 MHz 

76.000–88.000 MHz 

161.625–161.775 MHz (except in Puerto 

Rico or the Virgin Islands) 

174.000–216.000 MHz 

450.000–451.000 MHz 

455.000–456.000 MHz 

470.000–488.000 MHz 

488.000–494.000 MHz (except Hawaii) 

494.000–608.000 MHz 

614.000–698.000 MHz 

944.000–952.000 MHz 

The four megahertz segment from one 

to five megahertz above the lower edge 

of the 600 MHz duplex gap. 

* * * * * 

(c) Specific frequency operation is 

required when operating within the 600 

MHz duplex gap or the bands allocated 

for TV broadcasting. 

* * * * * 

■ 17. Section 74.861 is amended by 

revising paragraph (e) introductory text 

and adding paragraph (e)(1)(iii) to read 

as follows: 

§ 74.861 Technical requirements. 

* * * * * 

(e) For low power auxiliary stations 

operating in the 600 MHz duplex gap 

and the bands allocated for TV 

broadcasting, the following technical 

requirements apply: 

(1) * * * 

(iii) 600 MHz duplex gap—20 mW. 

* * * * * 

[FR Doc. 2014–26674 Filed 11–20–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

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