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antiquie

(4,299 posts)
Tue Feb 18, 2014, 09:52 PM Feb 2014

L.A. Skyscraper Cell Phone Interference Caused by Light Bulbs: FCC

The owner of a downtown Los Angeles skyscraper has been cited by the federal government after an investigation discovered that light bulbs inside the building caused an interference with cell phone service.

Some working in the 41-story Ernst & Young Plaza building at Figueroa and Seventh streets have complained of dropped calls, unsent text messages and cell phone data issues.

“In response to Verizon Wireless’ continuing complaints that the interference had not been resolved, agents from the Los Angeles Office used portable direction-finding equipment and confirmed radio emissions on Verizon Wireless’ licensed 700 MHz frequencies were emanating from ceiling fluorescent lights/ballasts inside the Building,” the document stated.

http://ktla.com/2014/02/18/fcc-cites-owner-of-downtown-l-a-over-cell-phone-interference/#axzz2tjDG9zTi
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L.A. Skyscraper Cell Phone Interference Caused by Light Bulbs: FCC (Original Post) antiquie Feb 2014 OP
"GE has offered to exchange all of the bulbs inside the building, according to the FCC." nt bananas Feb 2014 #1
Can you explain why this building? antiquie Feb 2014 #2
Manufacturing defect in a batch of bulbs bananas Feb 2014 #3
Some related problems... bananas Feb 2014 #4
Thank you very much. antiquie Feb 2014 #5
 

antiquie

(4,299 posts)
2. Can you explain why this building?
Tue Feb 18, 2014, 10:42 PM
Feb 2014

They always said the buzzing and headaches were all in our...

bananas

(27,509 posts)
3. Manufacturing defect in a batch of bulbs
Tue Feb 18, 2014, 11:27 PM
Feb 2014

They probably had lots of bulbs from the same bad batch.
It's not the only building:

http://www.fiercewireless.com/tech/story/verizon-700-mhz-lte-cell-site-latest-victim-interference-fluorescent-lights/2014-02-10

Verizon 700 MHz LTE cell site is latest victim of interference from fluorescent lights
February 10, 2014 | By Tammy Parker

<snip>

The offending ISM equipment, according to the FCC, involves two-lamp GE UltraMax fluorescent ballasts installed at the building. The ballasts are the same ones pinpointed as interfering with an AT&T 700 MHz LTE cell site in San Antonio, Texas, last year.

<snip>

The agents came prepared with product documentation, providing the building manager a 2012 product bulletin from GE Lighting stating that certain two-lamp GE UltraMax ballasts were "tested in accordance with applicable FCC Part 18 requirements" but a small number were later found to produce "unintentionally high-frequency radio emissions that have the potential to cause interference with certain types of wireless communications."

According to Christopher Augustine, spokesman for GE Lighting: "Once we determined the cause of the interference, we immediately decided to recall all unsold, uninstalled ballasts to correct this potential issue. For those already sold and installed, GE provided steps to identify the affected ballasts by product and date code, and we provided instructions on how to exchange the units at no cost to the customer."

<snip>


bananas

(27,509 posts)
4. Some related problems...
Tue Feb 18, 2014, 11:38 PM
Feb 2014
http://www.fiercewireless.com/tech/story/time-warner-cables-tv-channel-shift-draws-interference-verizon-lte-smartpho/2013-12-04

Time Warner Cable's TV channel shift draws interference from Verizon LTE smartphones
December 4, 2013 | By Tammy Parker

Reports of spectrum interference causing problems for LTE networks are growing more commonplace, with everything from fluorescent lights to electronic cash registers being implicated. In the latest twist, Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) LTE data service is getting the blame for interfering with some channels delivered over the Time Warner Cable system in Raleigh, N.C.

A report from TV station WRAL said TV channels that Time Warner Cable recently relocated to the 700 MHz band of its cable system--including WRAL's own channel--are being negatively impacted by Verizon's LTE transmissions. According to the report, "When a 4G device and a cable box are in the same room, they can come into conflict."

<snip>

In early November, Sam Matheny, vice president of policy & innovation at Capital Broadcasting, which owns WRAL, wrote a column decrying the interference issue. Matheny said he began having problems with his cable TV video "becoming very pixelated and jerky" after he brought home his new Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 5S and left it on his nightstand.

<snip>

Noting that at least some of TWC's cable boxes apparently do not have the necessary shielding to block interference from other devices, Matheny called for boxes with better shielding to be built starting immediately to "accommodate the new reality of the 700 MHz band."

<snip>

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