Governors Urge FCC to Act on Blank Channel Proposal as Microsoft Lobbies Agency
Ten governors, Democrats and Republicans, signed a letter to Chairman Ajit Pai urging the FCC to set aside at least three channels in every market as white space channels for unlicensed use. Then-Chairman Tom Wheeler circulated an NPRM in June…
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2015 on reserving TV spectrum for Wi-Fi (see 1506160043) and Microsoft has been urging action (see 1707050048). The letter says 34 million Americans don’t have access to high-speed broadband. “If approved, companies from across the private sector will be able to invest and deploy innovative white space technologies,” the governors said. “Concerns from all parties can be addressed in a way that allows this game-changing initiative to positively impact the lives of countless Americans.” Meanwhile, Microsoft President Brad Smith told Commissioner Brendan Carr of the company's initiative. A lawyer for the company also reported representatives met with aides to Pai and Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. The executives told Office of Engineering and Technology staff they want the agency to "consider clarifying the application of its transmitter height restriction rules as they relate to fixed White Spaces radios operating indoors in buildings."