FCC Changes Are Coming To Your Church Music Department

The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has reallocated and auctioned off the 698 MHz to 806 MHz spectrum, generally referred to as the 700 MHz frequency band. The space will now become home to public safety and commercial users, which means wireless microphone users - such as churches - that are operating in that spectrum have to "vacate the premises" by February 17, 2009. The Digital Television deadline move to June does not change the 700 MHz frequency deadline.

According to Stephen W. Nease Jr, media director for the Leesburg, Virginia Church of the Nazarene, if a church gets cited by the FCC for operating the illegal units, the fines can be quite high on a per-unit-used basis. "As Metro Area Wireless Internet (WiMax) and Public Safety users start moving onto the 700MHz space," says Nease, "there will be FCC monitors out and about." Although it may not be this bleak, Nease cautions it's better to error on the safe side, "seeing who we represent."

For more information, see the following websites:

www.sweetwater.com/feature/wireless/white-spaces.php

or http://www.churchmedia.net/