Press Releases

TIA Supports FCC’s Earlier Decision to Promote Use of 5 GHz Band by Unlicensed Devices

Arlington, VA (August 15, 2014) – The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leading association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, filed an Opposition to the Petition for Partial Reconsideration of the Association of Global Automakers in the FCC’s 5 GHz proceeding.

TIA believes that the FCC acted correctly earlier this year to promote use of the 5 GHz band by unlicensed devices, including allowing operations up to 5850 MHz which is adjacent to the automakers’ DSRC / U-NII-4 spectrum (5850-5925 MHz).  The automakers’ request for the Commission to delay authorizing operations in an adjacent band (or to pursue additional testing) is inappropriate.  Unlicensed devices were already permitted to operate in that portion of the band, and the FCC has addressed any potential concerns by tightening the rules for unwanted emissions and by adopting other security measures.  The Automakers have presented no new information to warrant reconsideration of the FCC’s decision.

Meanwhile, TIA continues to believe that unlicensed operations are possible even within the DSRC / U-NII-4 band itself (5850-5925 MHz) if all parties continue to work cooperatively.  To that end, TIA has been strongly supporting the recently-introduced bi-partisan and bi-cameral “Wi-Fi Innovation Act” which would advance testing work at NTIA and the FCC.

To read TIA’s Opposition to the Automakers Petition, click here.

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