Wireless Mics: The Lay of the Post-Incentive Auction Land Takes Shape

[Commentary] As long-time readers know, traditionally wireless microphones operated in the TV spectrum until 2009. But since then, a series of Federal Communications Commission decisions (including some made at Congress’s direction in connection with the upcoming incentive auction) have reduced the spectrum options for mics. And the reductions continue: With plans to auction off 100 MHz or more of the current TV spectrum to wireless carriers – while scrunching TV stations displaced by that into the ever-shrinking portion of the spectrum reserved for TV – the FCC has decided to reduce microphone access to UHF channels even more.

On the upside, though, the Commission has concurrently opened some other bands for wireless mic use. As a result, wireless microphone users now must prepare to dance a spectrum hokey-pokey, with some new rules to follow (and new spectrum to access as soon as those new rules are adopted); other rules that will apply during transition periods; and still more rules that will take effect with the transition of new 600 MHz spectrum licensees to UHF. And when it comes to spectrum options, they won’t know exactly how much spectrum will be available to them, or where it will be located, until the incentive auction is over. Users must plan well-ahead to determine whether and when new equipment must be purchased, what spectrum may be available to them, and when specific operating rules go into effect.