NAB Slams Public Interest Groups' White Spaces Comments
NAB responded to New America’s Open Technology Institute and Public Knowledge comments in a TV white spaces (TVWS) proceeding. The groups had blasted NAB in comments on how often narrowband devices should have to check a white spaces database. NAB’s…
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objections “stem not from any genuine technical concern but solely from the desire to ‘get Big Tech’ and undermine the use of unlicensed spectrum,” OTI and PK said (see 2208020055). “A careful examination of those comments … demonstrates they are replete with questionable claims, exaggerations, and misleading conflations of projects,” NAB said Wednesday in docket 20-36: “The comments repeatedly conflate, knowingly or not, larger broadband initiatives with TVWS technology and thus seek to ascribe to TVWS the successes associated with other technologies.” NAB cited in particular references to Microsoft’s Airband initiative: “Microsoft’s promise to expand broadband service to three million Americans cannot possibly have anything to do with the meager 213 TVWS devices operating today.” NAB "is making every effort it can to reclaim valuable TV White space spectrum,” emailed PK Policy Counsel Kathleen Burke: “This play isn't about the alleged failure of TVWS services, but rather about the potential profits broadcasters might get by subleasing the spectrum they received for free to non-broadcast commercial uses.” The “supposed innovative uses of ATSC 3.0 are almost entirely ancillary commercial opportunities such as navigation and timing services; datacasts to smart Intenet-of-Things devices and smart vehicles; and interactive sports betting for live event broadcasts” and “have nothing to do with the public interest benefits of broadcast television that prompted the FCC to grant free licenses to broadcasters in the first place,” she said. “In contrast, TV white space services actually connect underserved populations to the Internet. Since ATSC 3.0 requires an internet connection to provide the uplink for its interactive innovations, TV white space services could help ensure that all Americans not just, those already connected to the Internet, can benefit from NextGen Broadcasting.” TVWS “offers a valuable option to rural and remote communities for broadband and, increasingly, to farmers, ranchers and others for narrowband sensors that they can access freely,” responded Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Program at New America. “For many years there have been few if any complaints of harmful interference to TV viewers,” he said: “Despite this, at every step, NAB has sought to limit or eliminate public access to this unused spectrum. It is plain to everyone who pays attention that broadcasters are determined to control and monetize not only the free TV spectrum they use, but also the large portion of the TV band they don’t use.”