[opendtv] EIBASS Questions Microsoft's White Space Database Administrator Qualifications

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 27 May 2011 16:09:12 -0500

May have been an embarrassing goof, or perhaps the "foxen" should not be put in 
charge of guarding the henhouse?

Bert

--------------------------
http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/120950

EIBASS Questions Microsoft's White Space Database Administrator Qualifications
by Doug Lung, 05.26.2011.

Engineers for the Integrity of Broadcast Auxiliary Services Spectrum (EIBASS) 
submitted comments in response to the FCC April 28. 2011 Public Notice (DA 
11-803) seeking comment on Microsoft's proposal to be designated as a TV Bands 
Device Database Administrator.

EIBASS gives three reasons for denial of the Microsoft proposal:

* The request was filed 15 months after the deadline for applying to become a 
WSD [White Space Devices] DBA [Data Base Administrator].

* In its proposal, Microsoft missed Part 74, Subpart F, TV STL/TV Relay/TV 
Translator Relay stations operating on UHF TV channels.

* The performance of Microsoft with regard to its Experimental Special 
Temporary Authority (STA) WE9XUO obtained "to test and demonstrate white spaces 
technology" at the NAB Show in Las Vegas.

The EIBASS filing notes that Microsoft requested use of television channels 
21-36 and 38-51, even though "the most basic frequency coordination study would 
have revealed that TV Channels 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 
35, 36, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51 had operating, on-the-air 
TV, Class A TV or LPTV stations..."

The group also flagged the fact that even though the STA for WE9XUO included 
the "SBE Clause," which called for operation subject to prior coordination with 
the SBE, the EIBASS filing said "as best it could determine, Microsoft never 
contacted either the SBE executive director, or the Las Vegas Broadcast 
Auxiliary Services (BAS) frequency coordinator, Jack Smith, at KVVU-TV in Las 
Vegas.

It was not until the WE9XUO experimental STA was circulated on the SBE 
frequency coordinator's reflector that the Las Vegas frequency coordinator 
became aware of Microsoft's planned operation.

The EIBASS comments noted that the posting also alerted LARCAN, which held an 
experimental STA (WE9XSY) for Ch. 46 at the NAB Show, to the Microsoft's 
planned operation. The group was then able to put the LARCAN representative in 
touch with Microsoft to make sure that Microsoft didn't operate on Ch. 46 
inside the convention center LVCC, thus causing interference to the LARCAN 
experimental operation.

The group stated that "As a result of this almost-missed frequency 
coordination, Microsoft avoided using TV Channel 46 for its LVCC operation, and 
thus, as far as EIBASS can determine, a frequency coordination 'train wreck' 
was avoided."

In its conclusion, the filing states:

"EIBASS believes that Microsoft has demonstrated that it is unqualified to 
manage a WSD database due to its untimely filing, coupled with its inability to 
identify all categories of FCC licensed stations entitled to protection. This 
is an indication to EIBASS that due diligence was not done, despite the extra 
time a late filing provided to Microsoft to do its homework. In EIBASS' view, 
these failures demonstrate that Microsoft lacks the necessary regulatory 
awareness to manage a critically important database."

Dane Ericksen and Richard Rudman, EIBASS co-chairs, raised the question:

"If Microsoft assumes that its reputation alone will win them the WSD DBA 
mission, yet fails on these relatively simply issues, where else will it fail?"

 
 
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