Clearwire Withdraws Spread Spectrum Petition
NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 24, 2000--Clearwire Technologies has withdrawn its Petition for Reconsideration asking the FCC to reconsider revised spread spectrum rules the FCC issued last summer. The new rules became effective November 1.
Clearwire manufactures high-speed wireless Internet and network access devices operating at 2.4 GHz, where there's an amateur allocation. Fearing possible amateur interference with its Part 15 products, Clearwire had asked the FCC last October to require that amateur transmitters capable of operating in excess of 1 W on bands in which its Part 15 devices operate be FCC certificated. It also wanted transmitters in those bands to automatically transmit an ID and telephone number and the spreading algorithms made available on a public Web site.
Calling Clearwire's Petition "frivolous," the ARRL in January asked the FCC to dismiss it and to reaffirm its original Report and Order. The League said none of Clearwire's requests was reasonable and suggested the company had no standing to propose "new, burdensome restrictions" on amateur operation. The ARRL noted that FCC rules do not afford Part 15 devices any protections from interference from licensed services, such as Amateur Radio.
On February 17, Clearwire told the FCC that it was withdrawing its Petition for Reconsideration. But the company said it "expressly reserves" its position that Part 15 users such as Clearwire are "entitled to seek protection from an Amateur station that operates unlawfully." Disagreeing with the ARRL's stance, Clearwire pointed out in its withdrawal letter that while Part 15 devices must accept interference from "authorized" radio stations, they deserve FCC protection from stations operating outside the rules. "Clearwire does not waive its right to seek relief from unlawful Amateur operation in the future," said Clearwire's counsel, Mitchell Lazarus.
TAPR--Tucson Amateur Packet Radio--also had filed in opposition to the Clearwire petition.
Page last modified: 01:00 PM, 24 Feb 2000 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
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