LTE interference can affect DirecTV’s ability to decode...
LTE interference can affect DirecTV’s ability to decode and re-encode digital broadcast signals, said (http://bit.ly/1oqZcgC) the company in response to an FCC Office of Engineering and Technology public notice on LTE to DTV interference. “This could take the form of…
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increased pixilation or artifacts in the signal,” said the DBS provider. “If the interference is severe enough, there might be no picture or sound at all.” Though the OET PN was asking about consumer TV receivers, DirecTV is seeing the interference at its local receive facilities, where “off-air” DTV signals are collected to be retransmitted to DBS subscribers, said the filing posted Friday in docket 14-14. While most larger broadcasters send their signals to DirecTV by fiber, many “smaller, noncommercial, and religious stations” rely on digital off-air signals, DirecTV said. Since the problem affects the DBS company’s ability to decode signals rather than the signals themselves, “a station might deliver DirecTV a ‘good quality’ signal, and DirecTV might be required to carry it, but DirecTV’s subscribers would not be able to actually view it,” said the filing. The severity of the problem depends on how close LTE base stations are to DirecTV receive facilities, and if DirecTV’s antenna are pointed toward the LTE stations, the filing said, saying DirecTV has begun studying the issue: “Once those measurements are complete, DirecTV will be prepared to discuss whether and how the Commission should account for this increased interference, whether in the incentive auction or otherwise.” FCC testing of LTE interference with DTV is a “fine first step,” but doesn’t do enough to address possible interference problems between wireless and broadcast signals after the incentive auction, NAB said in a comment (http://bit.ly/1mSLRT0). The FCC “must move forward in a transparent process with proposing and seeking comment specific rules for inter-service interference protection,” NAB said. The association has “grave concerns” that the FCC is more focused on finding out which markets could be impaired from the perspective of wireless bidders than addressing broadcast issues or not planning to do further research on preventing inter-service interference, it said. “An approach based on separation distances is far simpler and more appropriate in keeping with the FCC’s desire to move forward expeditiously with the incentive auction."