Commerce Secy. Donald Evans sent FCC Chmn. Powell letter late Fri...

Commerce Secy. Donald Evans sent FCC Chmn. Powell letter late Fri. asking for 60 additional days to complete analysis of ultra-wideband (UWB) systems, Commerce Dept. source said. Evans believes 60 more days are needed to complete evaluation of UWB systems to ensure protection of critical govt. operations and safety of life services, source said. Letter comes after Deputy Defense Secy. Paul Wolfowitz asked Evans to advocate delay in final regulatory decision until at least Feb. (CD Nov 29 p1). NTIA officials and engineers are meeting on accelerated basis with other govt. agencies and FCC to try to reach unified govt. position on UWB, several sources said. Wolfowitz letter to Evans had indicated that DoD review of preliminary draft of FCC’s UWB rules found “they will not provide adequate protection for GPS and other critical DoD systems.” Wolfowitz had asked Evans to seek additional 60 days from time that final FCC draft is ready for review by other govt. agencies. Several sources have said item on UWB began circulating on 8th floor at FCC last week. But how Evans’s letter may affect timing of UWB placement on agenda for FCC’s Dec. 12 meeting wasn’t clear at our deadline. Powell had told House Appropriations Subcommittee earlier this year that FCC could issue UWB rulemaking by year-end, although at time it was awaiting final govt. evaluation of interference issues. Wolfowitz letter had pointed out that NTIA, Transportation Dept. and industry tests had concluded UWB devices could cause significant harmful interference to GPS and other key DoD systems. Goal of Evans seeking more time from FCC before final decision is to “find a solution that takes into account the importance of bringing new technologies like UWB to the market without compromising critical life systems related to public safety and national defense,” Commerce Dept. source said. “The analysis we are doing is based on facts and it is extremely complex and time-consuming.” Docket at FCC on UWB proceeding (98-153) has attracted nearly 780 filings. UWB developer Time Domain told Commission in recent ex parte filing that it believed testing had shown UWB could operate at levels set in FCC’s notice of proposed rulemaking without causing harmful interference to existing services. FCC spokeswoman said Commission wasn’t releasing letter Mon. and had no comment on request for additional time.