FCC Petitioned to Restrict 2.4GHz Band

Mean_Nishka writes: "Internet News is reporting that satellite radio provider Sirius is petitioning the FCC to regulate and hinder providers of 802.11b based networks. Sirius claims their radios operate at frequencies only 55mhz lower than wifi's range, and fear that Wifi users could interfere (especially mobile and internet service providers). This could effectively kill free networks nationwide..."

Comments

This is going to make lunchtime hell

[pyramid termite]

The reach of the petition is widespread, affecting industries as relatively small as the fixed wireless industry to everyday industries whose existence is almost ubiquitous in American households -- digital TVs and microwave ovens.

"We're from the FCC and we have an order forcing you to leave your microwave on thaw."

How about processors?

[BlowCat]

Just wait until Intel releases 2.4GHz Pentium 4. I wonder if FCC will tell Intel to use another frequency.

This has serious implications...

[Navius Eurisko]

for example, a person in an office complex tunes into the XM hip-hop station. Because some idiot was using an ibook with a wireless Airport card, Snoop dog is dropped from the ceiling all mutated and deformed!

Again, serious implications! :)

First amendment fight?

[Mean_Nishka]

Here's a thought:

Since free wireless networks potentially open the Internet to everybody (even without access to a phone), could it be argued that restricting 802.11 networks is a violation of our first amendment rights? Technically a free 802.11 network is a public forum.

Free wireless are about to become as big as open source, MP3, and even the Internet itself. Let's hope greed will not get in the way.

But if worse comes to worse I'll buy up a bunch of microwave ovens, trip the door sensor, point a million pringles cans towards the sky, and show them what real 2.4 ghz interference is like :).

Re:Some FCC related facts

[PurpleFloyd]

Blockquoth the poster:

Sirius is a licensed service. 802.11 isn't.

No way. As radio transmitters, 802.11x devices have to be FCC licensed, along with every other piece of equipment in your computer (although radio transmitters like wireless net products have different standards than regular electronics equipment!). The FCC licenses every single wireless networking product, along with all cordless phones, and any other radio transmitter/reciever. As such, the FCC had the opportunity to review each device and determine if it causes out-of-band interference (like the satellite radio people are claiming). My guess is that the FCC will say something along the lines of "tough shit!" because of the fact that Sirius is complaining about interference 55 MHz outside their alloted band. That's ludicrous -- if the tuners are that bad, Sirius should never have released their product. Imagine your new car stereo tuned to 88.1 FM recieving interference from 107.9 FM. You would take the stereo back! Even if you were sitting right next to the 107.9 transmitter, you wouldn't expect much interference - and that's an analog signal. Digital has (or should have) error detection and correction built in. Sirius seems to expect special treatment because of a bad product - I hope to all that is right and holy in this world they don't get it.

Maybe it's only my opinion

[FakePlasticDubya]

But isn't the purpose of the FCC to work for the benefit of the general public? I mean that is the point of the FCC, to regulate the airwaves since the current view is that the airwaves belong to everyone...

That being true, wouldn't it only make sense for the FCC to tell Sirus to go back to the drawing board... 802.11 has been around for a while now, and I would have thought anyone with common sense would have thought to see if this would be a problem. Because Sirus didn't plan around this, I don't see how they can just step in now and demand sweeping changes that will destroy many companies and hinder thousands of businesses and cause millions in losses. How can the FCC protect one company's investment at the expense of so many others?

Well, then again, this is the FCC we are talking about... not exactly the most efficient or best policy making body there is... what can I say?

In my opinion at least, 802.11 was there first, 2.4Ghz has been in use for a long time before Sirus was even thought about, so I would think it would be Sirus's responsibility to fix their problem, not the FCC and millions of Americans to work around Sirus.

Re:Sirius are a bunch of whiners

[revscat]

Wow.

You know, it's guys like you that make me keep coming back to Slashdot. There is that occasional gem shining in the piles of horseshit that makes it all worth it.

Unfortunately, I am frequently the one delivering the horseshit.

- Rev.

Actually...

[sterno]

Knowing about all those laws is a crime too now :)

Re:Sirius are a bunch of whiners

[masteroveride]

Sirius: Hey! 802.11*,I wanna play on the swings

802.11*: Too bad, I was here first... go find your own frequency!

Sirius: I'm telling on you!

FCC: Is there a problem here boys?

Sirius: Yeah, I want to play on the swings and 802.11* isn't letting me!

(Sirius slips a $50 bill into the FCC's pocket)

FCC: 802.11*, why don't you go over there and play with the cordless phones in the 900Mhz band, okay?