Tech heavyweights Google, Microsoft, Dell and others are locked in a tight battle for white space spectrum use vs. some pretty high-wattage star power. Not only have Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and MGM Mirage CEO J. Terrence Lanni issued statements urging caution against the unfettered use of white space spectrum for broadband wireless networking, but Neil Diamond, the Dixie Chicks, Clay Aiken, Guns N’ Roses, and now mega-star Dolly Parton have added their voices to the opposition as well.
In her letter to the FCC quoted by BusinessWeek, Parton wrote about her concerns for the entertainment industry, which relies on wireless microphones and other technologies with which white spaces devices may interfere:
“I don’t know all the legalese concerning this issue, so I’ve had some very smart people inform me about the legalities here. This industry relies on wireless technology and is in jeopardy of being irreversibly devastated by the Commission’s pending decision.”
The FCC, which has been working ‘9 to 5’ on the issue for almost four years, is scheduled to bring it to a vote Nov. 4, the same day as the presidential election. After recent tests of white spaces devices, which seemed to show little if any interference with wireless microphones or broadcast services, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin came out in favor of the white space spectrum use. And he is rumored to have at least two other FCC commissioners on his side, leaving the proponents with a majority. Assuming all three know the “legalese” and are probably “very smart people” as well, it looks like even Dolly Parton’s star power may not be enough to stop the services from going forward.
