Outdoor Access Point Installations

The FCC regulations for the indoor and outdoor installation are different; the professional installer must configure the Access Point transmitters accordingly. Products that are specifically intended to be placed outdoors are configured at the factory for compliant outdoor operation. Professional installers should review the following to assess the legality of outdoor deployments:

• If a transmitter is placed indoors but the antenna is placed outdoors, the FCC interprets this as an outdoor installation
• If a transmitter is placed indoors and the antenna is oriented to intentionally radiate outdoors, the FCC interprets this as an outdoor installation
• If the transmitter is placed on a loading dock or inside a covered stadium with a retractable cover, the FCC views this as an outdoor installation

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have an ongoing investigation of interference caused to Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) systems operating in the 5600-5650 MHz band. TDWRs are used to detect wind shear and other weather conditions near airports.

The interference at most locations was attributed to fixed wireless transmitters operating outdoors in the vicinity of airports at high elevations that are line-of-sight to the TDWR installations (5 GHz network equipment).

In some instances, the interference was caused by equipment that was not properly certified or configured. In other instances, equipment was FCC certified nonetheless caused interference. The FCC has taken appropriate enforcement action in each of these cases.

If everything is determined to be compliant - the FCC orders the interfering transmitter turned off or adjustments be made such that there is no more interference; any non-compliance determined is resolved with an enforcement action.

On 14 OCTOBER2010 the FCC published the following notice that requests that devices operating in the 5.4 GHz band located near the appended list of airports register these devices. A voluntary WISPA sponsored database has been developed that allows operators and installers to register the location information of the UNII devices operating outdoors in the 5470 - 5725 MHz band within 35 am of any TDWR location.

Note

The voluntary registration of all outdoor installations is strongly encouraged at http://www.spectrumbridge.com/udia/home.aspx.