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TMCnet reported back in November when some analysts hailed a decision by federal authorities to open up some unused radio frequencies, or “white spaces,” for wireless devices – even though analysts with one international telecom research firm said the move presented some immediate practical problems.

 

Officials at London-based Ovum told us that the Federal Communications Commission’s decision – specifically, to allow wireless devices to use the spectrum between TV channels in the 700MHz range – will greatly benefit mobile Internet players, such as Google and Microsoft (News - Alert).

 

Now, according to reports, the controversy surrounding white spaces is gaining traction again, as two organizations – the National Association of Broadcasters and Association for Maximum Service Television – are suing the FCC (News - Alert) for its unanimous vote.

 

“Broadcasters have long argued that use of white-space spectrum would cause interference with TV signals,” reports Lynnette Luna (News - Alert) of FierceBroadbandWireless, a FierceMarkets publication. “Engineers at the FCC concluded otherwise last year. The broadcast associations are seeking to overturn the FCC’s decision, which was made in November under the Bush administration.”

 

The decision garnered wide support among some consumer advocates at the time, but was destined to re-emerge as one of several pressing issues – including the digital TV transition – now facing Julius Genachowski (News - Alert), whom President Barack Obama this week named the new FCC chairman.

 

As TMC President Rich Tehrani said, consumers likely are major winners because they’ll see more diversified – and therefore less expensive – broadband choices.

 

Yet, according to Steven Hartley, a senior analyst at Ovum, the FCC is imposed “rigorous restrictions” on device controls in order to prevent interference. Those restrictions likely will yield higher equipment costs, Hartley said.

 

“Devices will require sophisticated radios and management of those radios,” Hartley told us. “They must be location aware and be able to check with a database of potential interference locations, such as entertainment venues or TV broadcast towers.”

 

Also, the FCC will need to test all devices, and – in those channels operating at a bandwidth next to a TV broadcast – radio power must be halved.

 

As TMCnet reported, broadcasters and others who use wireless microphones, fearing interference, strongly opposed the FCC’s vote on the white spaces measure.

 

Officials at The Broadway League, for example, said that the FCC was giving technology firms access to the same white spaces that actors for years have been using to amplify their voices from the stage.

 

Saying the FCC is being pressured by technology companies, the Manhattan-based association urged the federal agency to publish its proposed rules and allow for public discourse. It isn’t clear who those companies are, though the association makes reference to “portable Internet devices,” indicating increasingly popular Web-ready mobile phones.

 

For Hartley, the clear winners following the FCC’s decision are Internet players – such as Microsoft and Google – and hardware vendors, such as Intel (News - Alert) and Motorola, which make wireless device equipment.

 

Yet – in addition to the FCC’s restrictions –the technology standards for white space use aren’t yet clear, so that “a standards battle that will limit economies of scale.”

 

“Furthermore, no provision has been made for backhaul, so how will much-touted rural services transport their traffic?” Hartley asks. “A separate Notice of Inquiry has been established to look into this issue, but this will take time.”

 

Finally, Hartley said, it isn’t clear how service providers and mobile device vendors will actually cash in on the white spaces. With online ad king Google involved, an ad-led approach seems likely, according to the analyst, but it isn’t clear how much revenue can be had from the white spaces.

 

“Urban users will be key, but if the interference restrictions prove too limiting, then Google could find its plans undermined,” Hartley said.

 

Those restrictions are to take effect March 19.

 

According to a petition signed by the associations, the FCC’s decision “will have a direct adverse impact on MSTV’s and NAB’s members because it will allow harmful interference with reception of their broadcast signals.”