Broadway League Responds to 'White Space' Proposal

The Broadway League recently submitted FCC comments criticizing the massive PR campaign organized by the tech community to camouflage fatal flaws in a proposal to use the "white space" radio spectrum for national voice and data transmission.  After FCC testing demonstrated that so-called "spectrum sensing equipment" was unable to deliver on manufacturers' promises that portable devices could operate within the same band-width as wireless microphones without causing interference, several prominent corporations, poised to make millions if the proposal is approved, have undertaken strategies to divert public and FCC attention away from these repeated failures.  The Broadway League, however, is requesting that the FCC continue to demand that manufacturers demonstrate legitimate technological solutions before it rules on an issue that may have lasting and debilitating effects on the live-theatre, concert, sporting event, movie and other types of entertainment production industries. 

Since spectrum sensing equipment consistently failed under FCC scrutiny, proponents such as Google and Motorola have been touting an "enhanced spectrum sensing" proposal.  This wholly untested wireless microphone protection plan consists of beacon, or jamming, technology, a "safe harbor" of three channels for wireless microphones that would be off-limits to new devices, and additional spectrum sensing technology.  "Obviously, these companies hope that bundling a group of pseudo-solutions into one package will convince the FCC that they have found a simple way to solve an enormously complicated problem.  Unfortunately, the dozens of industries using wireless microphones simply cannot afford to wait and see what will happen if new devices, unable to prevent interference with wireless systems, are allowed to enter the market," said Charlotte St. Martin, the Executive Director of The Broadway League.  She continued, "As much as we appreciate the concept of additional uses for the spectrum, we hope the FCC sees through the veil of the tech companies' public relations campaign and recognizes that these proposals are pretty much useless.  We need the FCC to remain committed to protecting the countless businesses that have thrived on wireless microphone use for decades. "  

As currently envisioned under the enhanced spectrum sensing plan, "beacons" would transmit a signal telling nearby portable devices that wireless microphones are already occupying certain white-space spectrum and instruct these portable devices not to broadcast on these frequencies.  This proposal purposefully excludes many types of wireless microphone users, including Broadway theatres, from any protection a beacon might provide.  Moreover, this entire scheme is wholly theoretical and no beacon has ever been tested to ensure the device will work as imagined.  In fact, beacons would utilize a form of spectrum sensing technology and, as FCC tests have established, this kind of interference prevention simply does not work.  Should such a beacon ever get invented, be satisfactorily tested, and found suitable for retail, FCC regulations may prohibit many incumbent white space users – the parties upon who the burden of purchasing and employing the equipment would fall – from even taking advantage of any protection such a device may offer.  
Google's plan to identify channels 36 through 38 as a "safe harbor" for wireless microphones is also illusory.  These frequencies are already occupied in many parts of the country or reserved for medical use and, therefore, may not be utilized commercially.  Moreover, even if these frequencies were not occupied, three channels cannot support the broad range of wireless microphone users operating across the country.  

"In an environment like New York City, theatres are already facing tough competition for available wireless band-width.  A single theatre may need forty frequencies to operate microphones and equipment.  Technicians on each show have to synchronize every single wireless microphone before a performance begins to guarantee that audiences get the high-class audio and visual presentation they've grown to expect," said Gerald Schoenfeld, Chair of the Shubert Organization.  "The economy created by the live-theatre industry is truly staggering.  Last year alone, Broadway-related spending directly contributed over $5 billion into New York's economy and supported the equivalent of 44,000 full-time jobs.  If the technology companies get FCC approval to market these devices that do nothing to prevent interference with our equipment, we could be out of business.  The cavalier attitude these corporations are taking with regard to incumbent users, who've been here for several decades, is simply astounding.  At meetings held in Washington, DC on October 15, 2007 with Chairman Martin and other FCC commissioners, we were assured that until it can be demonstrably proven that there will be no interference with wireless microphone transmissions in Broadway theatres, no band widths or white space usage would be granted by the FCC to any applicant."