The FCC has temprarily waived the push notification requirements in Sections 15.37(j) and
15.711(i) of the Commission’s rules that fixed and Mode II personal/portable white space devices and
white space databases must meet by December 23, 2016.
To prevent interference to protected services, including licensed wireless microphones,
certain white space devices are required to check a database at least once a day to obtain a list of available
channels at their operating location. The Commission recently revised this obligation to also require that database administrators push information about changes in channel availability information to white space devices in the area where the licensed wireless microphones will be used. When a database administrator receives a request for access to channels for licensed wireless microphone use, the database administrators must share the licensed wireless microphone’s channel registration information among themselves within ten minutes and push information about changes in channel availability for fixed and Mode II personal/portable white space devices within 20 minutes of receiving it, identifying for the white space devices other available channels that could be used instead. White space devices for which a certification application is filed beginning June 23, 2016, or that are imported or marketed beginning September 23, 2016 must incorporate a push notification capability. Previously approved white space devices that do not incorporate a push notification capability must cease operation no later than December 23, 2016. In addition, the white space database administrators must update their systems to implement push notification capabilities no later than December 23, 2016.
The Commission is temporarily waiving the push notification requirements applicable to white space devices and database administrators because the Commission is still considering a number of petitions for reconsideration of these requirements and manufacturers have not yet obtained certification for equipment that is capable of meeting them. In the absence of a waiver, all white spaces operations would have to cease as of December 23, 2016
