IP: Sirius petition worries wireless LAN suppliers

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

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From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>


[Note:  This item comes from reader Mike Cheponis.  DLH]

Sirius petition worries wireless LAN suppliers
By Patrick Mannion, EE Times
Mar 22, 2002 (1:31 PM)
URL: http://www.commsdesign.com/story/OEG20020322S0094

MANHASSET, N.Y. - A petition asking for stricter emissions controls
for digital radios operating in the 2.45-GHz band is heading to the
comments stage, raising concerns among suppliers of fixed wireless
access technology.

The petition, filed in January by Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., states
that wireless access schemes such as IEEE 802.11b, Bluetooth, HomeRF
and ultra-wideband, interfere with satellite radio broadcasts
licensed to operate at 2.3 GHz. Sirius and XM Satellite Radio operate
in that band.

The petition asks the Federal Communications Commission to modify its
rules governing the 2.45-GHz band "to require that the aggregate free
space field strength of co-polarized out-of-band, radiated emissions
from . . . devices between 2.320 and 2.345 GHz not exceed 8.6 µV/m at
3 m (18.7 dB µV/m), as measured in a 1 MHz bandwidth." If instituted,
this request would effectively halve the emissions allowance for
2.45-GHz devices.

"We're studying this intensely and with great concern because if
approved it could cause serious problems for many license-exempt
services, including 802.11b, Bluetooth, and fixed wireless access,"
said Andrew Kreig, president of the Wireless Communications
Association. Though the FCC hasn't yet commented on the request,
Kreig said others are commenting freely.

Intersil Corp., a leading supplier of IEEE 802.11b radio chips, has
already reacted to the petition, stating that Sirius and XM set up
their networks with full knowledge of current rules, therefore no
further emission restrictions are warranted. Jim Zyren, director of
marketing at Intersil, said the Sirius petition may go to comment,
but would not progress to the rulemaking stage.

David Hytha, vice president of SiliconWave, a leading supplier of
Bluetooth radio chips, also questioned the validity of the Sirius
petition. "They have $400 radios," he said. "There's no way they
can't supply the filtering needed to eliminate any emissions from the
tightly-controlled Bluetooth and 802.11b radios."

The satellite radio companies have other problems, including a need
for ground repeaters, Intersil's Zyren said. "The problems they have
had so far have had nothing to do with radios at 2.45 GHz," he said.




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