The
Enforcement Bureau recently took action against companies operating
devices that caused interference to Terminal Doppler Weather Radars
(TDWRs) maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). TDWR
systems serve the critical function of providing the FAA with
quantitative measurements for gust fronts, windshear, microbursts, and
other weather hazards. The FAA uses this information to improve flight
safety at major airports.
Investigations conducted by the FCC, the FAA and the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in several
areas of the United States and Puerto Rico revealed that much of the
interference stems from wireless devices sharing the same band as TDWR
systems, and operating outdoors under the FCC's Rules for Unlicensed
National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) devices. (These rules
may be found at 47 C.F.R. Part 15 subpart E.) The Enforcement
Bureau and the FAA continue to investigate additional reports of
interference to TDWR systems, and will continue to take appropriate
enforcement action as necessary.
In addition, on July 27, 2010, the Enforcement Bureau and the Office of Engineering and Technology issued a memorandum providing guidance to manufacturers and operators of U-NII devices.
