Old Lyme, CT (November 27, 2013)—Sennheiser has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) demanding changes regarding the upcoming spectrum auction scheduled for 2014. Stating that the government auction will jeopardize use of wireless microphones and monitors in the 600 MHz range, Sennheiser argues that the winners of the spectrum auction should compensate owners of wireless microphone equipment that will be rendered obsolete as a direct result of the planned spectrum repacking.
In the document, Sennheiser argus that the winners of the spectrum auction should compensate owners of wireless microphone equipment that will be rendered obsolete as a direct result of the planned spectrum repacking. Currently, the FCC has not announced any plans to compensate wireless microphone owners, who in some cases, may have to make investments in new equipment for the second time in recent years.
“Wireless microphones are an essential ingredient of content creation in the United States,” commented Joe Ciaudelli, spectrum affairs, Sennheiser Electronic Corp. “Currently, the United States is the number-one content creator in the world when it comes to broadcasting, film production and live events. The A/V professionals that produce this content, which is enjoyed by both domestic and international consumers, depend on the 600 MHz frequency spectrum each day. Now they are being told that they must vacate this UHF space, and with no contingency or recourse to recover their equipment investments. This is grossly unfair, especially considering that this will be the second time this has occurred within a few years. This time, mics and monitors won’t be able to simply be relocated into lower portions of the UHF, because it is already packed with replacement mics for ones rendered obsolete by the 700 MHz reallocation. TV stations currently operating in 600 MHz will also be relocated to lower channels, exacerbating the congestion.”
“Not only does the pending spectrum repacking threaten to diminish U.S. leadership in content creation, it creates an unnecessary hardship to many thousands of audio professionals by forcing them to reinvest in compliant equipment,” he continued. “While adverse effects of the spectrum repacking will inevitably occur, simple fairness says that the auction winners who will derive revenue from the auctioned spectrum should provide compensation.”
The FCC has also received letters of support for Sennheiser’s position from industry leading companies including Shure, Audio Technica, Lectrosonics, and CP Communications. “We encourage others to write to the FCC as well,” states Ciaudelli.
Sennheiser USA
www.sennheiserusa.com
