FCC gives cautious nod to ultra-wideband

FCC gives cautious nod to ultra-wideband
WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission approved limited deployment of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology on Feb. 14 but said it will consider wider deployment over the next year if the current concerns about interference prove unwarranted.

The FCC said in revising its rules on wireless devices that it will closely monitor deployment of UWB technology primarily for public-safety applications, such as ground-penetrating radars and through-wall imaging systems. It also approved UWB's use in wireless LANs and in vehicular-radar systems used for collision avoidance.

The most contentious issue in the 3-1/2-year debate over UWB deployment was the potential for interference with the Global Positioning System (GPS). Julius Knapp, deputy chief of the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology, said UWB communications devices will be required to operate above 3.1 GHz and that spurious transmissions in the 1.6-GHz GPS spectrum will have to be suppressed by 34 dB.

Use of ground-penetrating radar and imaging systems will initially be largely restricted to law enforcement and public-safety officials.

"We plan to closely monitor the introduction of this technology," Knapp said.

Acknowledging claims by UWB proponents that the rules may be too conservative, the FCC said it will review the rules for UWB devices in the next six to 12 months. If at that time the interference concerns prove to have exaggerated, the agency said, it will proceed with further rules to allow additional UWB technologies.

Agency officials held out hope that the commission will relax UWB rules down the road after a lengthy interagency debate. "It's not been a pretty process," said FCC commissioner Kathleen Abernathy. "Our first step today is extremely conservative and cautious. We may very well be able to go further."

FCC chairman Michael Powell said he wanted to preserve flexibility in deploying UWB in order to address interference concerns.

Despite the initial restrictions, UWB developers said the ruling opens the door to broad deployment.

"We are extremely pleased with today's ruling by the FCC and believe that the FCC's approval of ultra-wideband for unlicensed operation represents a 'win-win' solution, simultaneously protecting incumbent spectrum users and enabling the commercial consumer market to realize the full benefits of this revolutionary technology," said Martin Rofheart, president and chief executive of XtremeSpectrum, a UWB chip set developer based in Vienna, Va.