The Australian Communications and Media Authority is strongly urging all clubs, schools, businesses, and other community organisations, to check their wireless microphones, to check their devices to see if they can continue to use them after New Year.
Changes to regulations mean wireless mics that currently use radio waves in the 694-820 megahertz (MHz) range will no longer be able to be operated from 1 January 2015.
From 1 January the 694-820 MHz range will be used to deliver advanced 4G mobile broadband services and wireless mics users need to be ready. Wireless mics that currently use radio waves in the 694-820 MHz range must be retuned (if retuning is possible) or upgraded to allow operation in a different band (if the device cannot be returned).
The main ranges that can be used for wireless mics after 1 January 2015 are 520-694 MHz and 1790-1800 MHz. As 520-694 MHz is shared with television broadcasting, people purchasing wireless mics should either talk with their supplier or use the frequency finder to make sure they choose the most suitable frequency range for the area where they plan to operate.
Any remaining wireless microphones will stop working as the rollout of new 4G services increases. There might be delays in some areas or frequency bands before services begin, but wireless mic users should not assume that just because a wireless microphone system keeps working after 1 January it won’t need to be changed.
While in most cases wireless microphone are likely to stop working before causing interference, if interference is detected from a wireless microphone, the ACMA will take action in accordance with its graduated approach to compliance. This will usually mean an education awareness approach in the first instance, for example, advising the user they must not cause interference to radiocommunications services and must retune to another channel or cease using the device.
For more information head to www.wirelessmicrophones.gov.au.
This information has been sourced from the ACMA.