What a week!
I'm shocked at how many people waited to see whether the FCC would really sound the death knell for 700MHZ wireless microphones. Last week, it did. As of June 10, 2010, it will be technically illegal to use wireless microphones in the range of 698-806MHZ. Worse than illegality, as new 4G wireless services are unveiled, your wireless microphones will simply become unreliable due to interference.
This week, people started calling to discuss their options. We have churches with 32, 24, 16, 10, 8 and just a couple wireless microphones all scrambling to replace their 700MHZ systems with new systems that will be out of the way of the coming onslaught from 4G wireless services. Testing by the wireless companies is occurring right now, and many of our clients have called to say that their existing wireless systems worked one week and didn't the next.
If you are getting new interference on your 700MHZ wireless microphone, the it's very likely that you must stop using your wireless microphone immediately (even if prior to June 10, 2010).
Click here for more information.
Earlier this week, with the FCC deadline firmly established, Shure restarted its rebates for the exchange of 700MHZ wireless for new units in the 400, 500 and 600MHZ ranges. Expect Audio-Technica and others to follow. None of these companies want to be left out when it comes to selling you a new wireless microphone system.
I can't emphasize enough that now is the time to replace your 700MHZ wireless systems. Please don't think that it's a good idea to keep playing wait-and-see. It's not. One of these days, your wireless microphones will become useless from outside interference. Right now, you have a last chance to receive something for your existing wireless microphones. After June, 10, 2010, your units will be worthless, except to third-world countries and the mission field. They will have no resale value in the United States.
I can hear you thinking - "Dave, you told us that the rebates would end in June 2009, and in September 2009, and in December 2009 - and now they're being run again from January 20, 2010 through June 10, 2010. I have still have time."
Yes, you do, but there's no reason for Shure, Audio-Technica and others to keep extending the exchange rebates since the FCC has firmly established the end of the game for 700MHZ systems.
For more information that you may have wanted to know and for every answer that the FCC thinks needs to be answered, click here.
To see if your wireless microphone operates on the 700 MHz band, simply click on the name of the manufacturer and see if your model is listed. This listing even tells you whether your unit can be tuned to a different frequency that will be legal after June 10, 2010. Unfortunately, most can't be retuned.
FCC Listing of Wireless Microphone Manufacturers
If you have questions about your next steps, please call, and please call soon. I am working on quotes for five different churches today. I expect that things will be very busy in the world of wireless microphones between now and June 10.
