Google wants white space spectrum

SEARCH ENGINE GIANT Google submitted a proposal to US regulators on Monday suggesting methods to solve interference issues in “white space”, so that airwaves between broadcast channels could finally be used for mobile broadband services.

Google’s proposal to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would purportedly prevent wireless devices in "white space" from disrupting television channels and wireless microphones operating in the same or adjacent spectrum.

Google’s proposal comes hot on the heels of a plea to the FCC two weeks ago by the Vole’s Bill Gates, petitioning them to free up the white space spectrum so that Wi-Fi could be employed to expand access of wireless broadband services.

Google and Microsoft are in fact only two members in a wider coalition, including Dell, Intel, HP and the US branch of Philips, which have long been lobbying the FCC to allow for unlicensed use of white space spectrum. US broadcasters and makers of wireless microphones are adamantly against the idea, claiming that such a move would cause insufferable interference.

But Reuters reports that Google has proposed enhancements which it claims would "eliminate any remaining legitimate concerns about the merits of using the white space for unlicensed personal/portable devices". These enhancements would entail differentiating between two categories of users for the airwaves: one for low-power, personal, portable devices, and one for fixed commercial entities. The devices would have to have built-in technology to identify unused spectrum and avoid interference.

The FCC is apparently already testing similar technology to check the feasibility of using the white space spectrum without interfering with television broadcasts. µ

L'inq

Reuters