EWA and Coalition Respond to Extreme Wireless

The incumbent group of which EWA is a member filed Reply Comments opposing a waiver request from Extreme Networks asking to be permitted to provide weatherized protection for low-power indoor access points in indoor sports arenas where “beverage spillage” and “arena washing” might damage them. The filing questions whether Extreme’s waterproof enclosures mean installing the devices in fixed closed receptacles installed below seats, putting them in moveable plastic containers, or something in between. If the devices are installed in fixed receptacles and not otherwise altered, the concern about weatherized devices finding their way into the general public is largely eliminated. The Reply also questions the definition of a closed sports arena where Extreme proposes to deploy these devices since the roof at Lumen Field, whose supporting comments presumably were solicited by Extreme, covers only 70% of the seats. It is for all purposes an open facility. Finally, the filing cited recent situations involving interference to T-Mobile and Sirius XM where the FCC identified the sources of the interference but had not resolved the matter. The lack of resolution is not reassuring to incumbents.