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Lights from LA Building Interfere with Verizon's Network

Feb 9, 2014, 12:59 PM by Eric M. Zeman
updated Feb 9, 2014, 4:04 PM

Updated: Corrected "bulbs" to "fixtures".

The Federal Communications Commission cited a property owner for interfering with Verizon Wireless's network in downtown Los Angeles. The fluorescent lights used by Ernst & Young Plaza, a 41-story office tower owned by Brookfield Office Properties, are generating enough high-frequency radio emissions to cause problems for Verizon's 700MHz-based LTE network in the area. Verizon first noticed the problem in April 2013 and asked both the FCC and Brookfield to resolve the issue. Brookfield said it was investigating the problem, but has not said if or how it intends to fix it. Verizon complained to the FCC in December that the problem was not solved. In response, the FCC verified the problem still exists and cited the building owner. The FCC wants a formal response from Brookfield, with detailed explanations of how it will fix the problem, within 60 days. The light fixtures in question are made by GE, which admitted in 2012 that a small number of the ballasts do in fact unintentionally interfere with wireless networks. Fluorescent light fixtures are classified as industrial, scientific, and medical equipment, and are regulated by the FCC.

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Comments

This forum is closed.

This forum is closed.

Jarahawk

Feb 11, 2014, 10:18 PM

Man...

Pretty sad Big Red.

fresno

Feb 11, 2014, 2:59 PM

Same thing as HOME

We recently changed to LED Lighting to avoid interference of our network at home.

johnhr2

Feb 9, 2014, 1:29 PM

At home

Makes you wonder what your at home florescent lights interfere with.

Makes me want to connect everything with Ethernet cables at home.

Andras888

It is just one type of ballast GE made at one factory for a short time. All others are OK. If they weren't OK, the carriers would complain they cannot receive cell phone signals with their site antennas.

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