Concern FCC Spectrum Auction May Cause Patient Monitoring System Disruption

Hospitals are concerned that the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Incentive Auction of much of the unused television airwaves (aka “white space”) to mobile carriers will lead to the disruption of patient monitoring systems. Unlicensed communications devices (eg, garage door openers, remote cameras, microphones) currently broadcast in white space. Since 2002, Wireless Medical Telemetry Systems (WMTS) have had exclusive use of the 600 MHz band (aka Channel 37, for television broadcasters). However, knowing the “white space” spectrum will be greatly reduced by its Incentive Auction, the FCC is now allowing unlicensed devices to broadcast on the 600 MHz band. The FCC did mandate a 380-meter zone around hospitals where unlicensed devices are prohibited, but the American Hospital Association is calling for a 3-kilometer prohibitive zone. Though unlicensed devices still need to be FCC-certified, wireless health experts at the Center for Medical Interoperability (CMI) caution that new unlicensed devices have a more powerful signal than WMTS and such devices should be on Wi-Fi or cellular networks. For additional information, see the 8/6/15 FCC Report and Order and 3/18/16 CMI news release.