According to a recent filing with the FCC, XM Satellite Radio admitted that 221 land-based repeaters were operating above authorized power levels and 19 repeaters were transmitting outside of XM's FCC permit. The land-based components of XM's network operate on frequencies adjacent to those licensed to wireless broadband providers in the 2.3 GHz band. Currently, the FCC has no permanent rules governing the land-based transmissions of satellite radio companies like XM, so companies looking to invest millions into WiMAX technologies that operate in the 2.3 GHz to 2.5 GHz bands are understandably upset. XM says its working with the FCC to fix the issue, but also noted that wireless broadband facilities do not yet operate in any of the cities in question.
For more on XM's terrestial signals bleeding into WiMAX territory:
- see this article from RCR