FCC Denies Wireless-Microphone Makers' Plea for Vacant Spectrum Availability The action also spotlights new WMAS spectrum-efficient wireless technology By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Friday, May 20, 2022 - 7:10 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
In an Order on Reconsideration issued on May 11, the Federal Communications Commission denied a request from microphone-systems manufacturers Sennheiser and Shure to sustain a vacant channel in the TV bands reserved for wireless-microphone use. That channel was part of the FCC's landmark 2015 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking intended to outline the post-auction landscape for wireless microphones.
In issuing the 2015 Notice, the FCC acknowledged that there would be fewer unused television channels in the TV bands post auction and after spectrum repacking, but it expected that at least one channel in the UHF band would be available for shared use by unlicensed white-space devices or wireless microphones. The matter engendered a lengthy legal and technical back-and-forth. In the ensuing debate, broadcasters argued against the idea, contending that the FCC's 2015 proposal would limit future expansion and innovation potential for full-power TV stations. Broadcasters also said the proposal would require novel engineering studies that would be expensive and time-consuming, particularly for smaller broadcasters.
In responding to the most recent ruling, wireless-microphone users and those who make that equipment contended that the provisions for those wireless devices were necessary, expressing strong support for the important functions performed by wireless microphones and support for the designation of one UHF channel for wireless-microphone use, as per the Order On Reconsideration. Issues are identified regarding the adequacy of higher-frequency alternatives to a vacant UHF channel, as well as the past costs imposed on wireless-microphone users when spectrum availability was moved.
The National Association of Broadcasters, on the other hand, had argued that the preservation of at least one vacant channel on a nationwide basis is no longer achievable and that it was entirely appropriate to close this proceeding in light of the burdens to broadcasters.
Both Shure and Sennheiser filed replies to NAB's opposition, with Shure suggesting that a vacant channel for wireless microphones be preserved in every market where at least two vacant channels are available. Sennheiser also filed an ex parte disagreeing with the commission's assertion in the Termination Order that there is currently no vacant 6-MHz channel in multiple major metropolitan areas and including information purporting to identify a vacant channel suitable for wireless microphones used in nearly every top-50 market.
Ultimately, the FCC determined, We find that adoption of the rules proposed in the 2015 NPRM would not strike the most reasonable balance that would best serve the public interest. We make this determination in light of other actions taken by the Commission since the 2015 NPRM that will support wireless-microphone users and the burdens that the proposal would impose on broadcasters. Because we agree that the totality of these circumstances support the findings in the Termination Order, we reject the Petitioners' claim that the Commission's action was arbitrary and capricious.
However, the commission added, Although we have concluded that we should not proceed with the proposals in this docket, the Commission is committed to supporting white-space devices and wireless microphones and has pursued, and continues to pursue, avenues to ensure adequate spectrum availability for the important services they provide.
In fact, as part of its statement, the FCC said it has continued to pursue paths to support access to spectrum by wireless-microphone users, citing a 2021 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the operation of Part 74 low-power auxiliary station (LPAS) devices to permit a recently developed type of wireless-microphone system, referred to as a Wireless Multi-Channel Audio System (WMAS), to operate in the TV bands and other LPAS frequency bands on a licensed basis. The emerging technology, already permitted in Europe under the applicable European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) standards, would enable more wireless microphones to operate in the spectrum available for wireless-microphone operations, and thus advances an important Commission goal of promoting efficient spectrum use.
The technology, which would enable more microphones per megahertz of spectrum, is currently under consideration by the FCC. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, issued in April 2021, sought public comment on allowing WMAS on a licensed basis in frequency bands where wireless microphones already are authorized, including the TV bands, the 600 MHz duplex gap, and in portions of the 900 MHz, 1.4 GHz, and 7 GHz bands.
By digitally combining multiple signals, WMAS - promoted by Sennheiser, Shure, and other manufacturers - allows microphones to operate using wider-bandwidth channels than currently allowed. It will be a game-changer, says Joe Ciaudelli, director, spectrum and innovation, Sennheiser. [It] offers an easier and more flexible workflow and provides greater protection to other services that share the same frequency band. We applaud that the commission seems to be entertaining our Petition for Rulemaking to authorize WMAS, but it's only part of the equation in addressing the needs of content-creation professionals. [As with] any wireless device, access to suitable spectrum is required. Sennheiser will continue to work with the commission on developing long-term solutions.
Additionally, the commission recently upheld slightly modified requirements intended to protect licensed wireless-microphone users from interference
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
20/11/2025
Berklee Presents Holiday Extravaganza: Duke Ellingtons The Nutcracker Suite and ...
19/11/2025
Sphere Sound Kicks Up Its Heels at Radio City Music HallUltra-immersive system from the singular Las Vegas venue is also ready for sportsBy Dan Daley, Audio Edi...
19/11/2025
The Future of Stadium and Arena Video Control Rooms: Tech Leaders Talk 4K, IP, a...
19/11/2025
One Year at Intuit Dome: Walking Through the Stunning Arena's Advanced Video...
19/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: IMG's Francois Westcombe Goes Inside IMG's Annual Digital ...
19/11/2025
Inside Brighton & Hove Albion's fan-first media machine By George Bevir
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - 10:10
Print This Story
Brighton & Hove Albion'...
19/11/2025
Rock Chalk Rebuild, Part 1: Kansas Athletics Brings New Production Power to Rebu...
19/11/2025
Rock Chalk Rebuild, Part 2: A Pro's Guide to Kansas Athletics' New Video...
19/11/2025
MLB Media Rights Shakeup: NBC Inks Three-Year Deal for Sunday Night Baseball, Pe...
19/11/2025
Rohan Parashuram Kanawade attends the premiere of Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival at Egyptian Theatre on January 26, 2025, in Pa...
19/11/2025
Awards season is heating up, and the International Documentary Association just ...
19/11/2025
Aerojet Rocketdyne President Ken Bedingfield and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders were joined by state and local officials to celebrate the groundbreaking o...
19/11/2025
L3Harris and PentenAmio formalise their teaming agreement at MilCIS 2025, streng...
19/11/2025
Calrec gives Phoenix Broadcast Solutions its full support in strategic multi-year enterprise partnership New Singapore OB company invests in Calrec technology f...
19/11/2025
October brings a larger audience in front of TV screens. The cooler autumn weather and the continuation of new programming schedules brought increases in both t...
19/11/2025
IRVING, Texas Nexstar Media Group and Tegna filed applications on Nov. 18 with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeking its consent to transfer broad...
19/11/2025
Vitec has acquired Datapath, a developer of real-time video processing for large-scale video walls, AVoIP content distribution and KVM control in mission-critic...
19/11/2025
NEVADA CITY, Calif. Telestream has introduced ARGUS Version 2.3, which introduces Live Look, a feature that lets operators inspect live and on-demand streams vi...
19/11/2025
STAMFORD, Conn. and NEW YORK Charter Communications, Inc. has announced a major deal with Amazon Web Services (AWS) that establishes AWS as one of Charters stra...
19/11/2025
TOKYO Atomos has announced a major firmware update that brings integrated camera control to the Ninja TX GO and Ninja TX its new CFexpress-based monitor-recor...
19/11/2025
Berklee's Signature Series Reimagines the Musical and Visual Artistry of Col...
19/11/2025
PlayBox Neo departed the NAB Show New York 2025 on a high note. The company's all-new PlayBox Neo Suite made a splash on the show floor, drawing strong inte...
19/11/2025
AAVBR (American Audio Visual Baton Rouge), a leading full-service event production company serving Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region, has enhanced its product...
19/11/2025
In its mission to deliver live event services combining advanced engineering with a creative approach to captivating live sports and entertainment experiences, ...
19/11/2025
NEW YORK Short-form vertical video has exploded across platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, but a new survey commissioned by Media.net, a provider of c...
19/11/2025
NEW YORK YES Network, the regional sports network home of the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets, and CAMB.AI have struck a partnership they said will leverage ...
19/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has issued detailed guidance on filings that were disrupted by the government shutdown. While many of those fil...
19/11/2025
NEW YORK The popularity of NFL games is largely responsible for continued seasonal momentum in TV viewership into October (measured Sept. 29-Oct. 26), according...
19/11/2025
DirecTV has announced that its MyFree DirecTV streaming service has added seven new channels. Those include four sports services, NBA FAST, Red Bull TV, DAZN Ri...
19/11/2025
SURREY, U.K. Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC) has launched Flair Bridge, a compact device that transforms how operators control the company's motion-contr...
19/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission, which is continuing to rapidly ramp up its operations after the end of the federal government shutdown, has se...
19/11/2025
IRVING, Texas Nexstar Media Group and Tegna filed applications on Nov. 18 with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeking its consent to transfer broad...
19/11/2025
Martin Freeman, Jessie Buckley, Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon, Eddie the Eagle and ...
19/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz collaborates with Broadcom to enable testing and validation of n...
19/11/2025
Back to All News
Innato, starring Imanol Arias and Elena Anaya, arrives on Netf...
19/11/2025
Back to All News
Guillermo del Toro Sits Down With Troll 2 Director Roar Uthaug...
19/11/2025
Some projects feel monumental from the moment the first phone call comes in. When BCE, the host broadcaster appointed to coordinate the national coverage, asked...
19/11/2025
November 19 2025, 08:00 (PST) BAY AREA HOST COMMITTEE AND DOLBY PARTNER TO DELIVER IMMERSIVE FAN EXPERIENCES
During the Week of Football's Biggest Game...
19/11/2025
Michael D. Higgins: Ireland's Ninth President features RT Archives footage and interviews across seven decades
Watch Wednesday 19 November at 9:35pm on RT...
19/11/2025
Scripps Research scientists receive $1.1 million to advance AI modeling for HIV vaccine development New AI system helps scientists rapidly pinpoint the most pro...
18/11/2025
Independent media across Central America are operating under intensifying financial pressure, yet there is a clear appetite for models that can sustain both ind...
18/11/2025
NBA Debuts New Comms Infrastructure and Systems for RefereesTwo-phase rollout is intended to improve game flow, enhance officiating accuracyBy Dan Daley, Audio ...
18/11/2025
Platinum White Paper: How Aggreko Delivers Certainty For Broadcasters On The Wor...
18/11/2025
Kiswe Extends DTC Products With Kiswe Core Cloud-Based Tool for Distributing Con...
18/11/2025
Spanish Basketball Federation partners with ScorePlay to power digital transform...
18/11/2025
HBS selects BBright encoders and decoders to connect ST 2110 live production wor...
18/11/2025
Ashes to Ashes: Inside TNT Sports' hybrid and maverick' production plan...
18/11/2025
SVG All-Stars: Mimi Fotopoulos, Director, Talent and Production Operations, Tenn...
FCC Denies Wireless-Microphone Makers' Plea for Vacant Spectrum Availability The action also spotlights new WMAS spectrum-efficient wireless technology By Dan Daley, Audio Editor 
