Microsoft admits TV internet device broken

MICROSOFT AND FRIENDS GOT all excited when they sent their prototype for beaming high-speed Internet service over unused television airways to the FCC.

It was supposed to herald in a new age, bring peace in our time, and earn the Vole, Intel, Dell, HP and others lots of cash.

The only problem was that the dvice failed the FCC's testing and could not reliably detect unoccupied spectrum and could interfere with other TV programming and wireless microphone signals.

Microsoft has penned another letter to the FCC saying that when it got the kit back, it discovered that the gear was broken.

According to Associated Press, representatives for Microsoft and the other technology companies met with FCC engineers and found that an internal component was broken.

Apparently the Vole sent a duplicate device that was functioning properly, but that the agency never tested it.

The FCC's engineering office plans to hold a hearing Thursday to provide an overview of the tests and consider suggestions for further evaluation of the devices.

More here. µ