Google wants to fill in the TV white spaces

Google is planning a conference call with journalists on Monday to discuss a company filing with the FCC regarding the use of unused portions of the TV spectrum band, known as white spaces.

On the 11:30 a.m. EST call will be Rick Whitt, Google's Washington telecom and media counsel.

Technology companies want to be able to use the spectrum between the TV channels for Internet access, and the FCC is considering opening up the white spaces for use by unlicensed Internet devices. But broadcasters oppose the move, saying it will cause interference.

The FCC has been running tests to see if the white spaces can be used without interfering with TV broadcasts. Microsoft has submitted a prototype device that would use the spectrum for high-speed broadband access.

Google, which is a member of the White Spaces Coalition with Microsoft, Intel, HP, and a few others, may have something similar up its sleeve.

[nicmart]

Daydream

I wonder how this would be handled in a free country? One in
which the government didn't control communications and pretend,
like any regime, that it speaks for "the people."

[ahsanfarhan22]

what are you talking about?

What does filling up TV white spaces has to do anything with govt. controlling the media? We are not talking about going to a war or living in China.

[timber2005]

Horribly!

Imagine if someone DIDN"T make sure that there wasn't overlapping wireless usage... like if tv, cell phones, FM radio and computers all used the same small band. Nothing would function in the end. They've created nice slices that not only make sense (ex, the 2.4 ghz band would be best in a household environment, penetrates few walls, whereas 700mhz band goes through walls easily and at far distances, perfect for tv and cellular communications).

And if it wasn't the government, it would be a COMPANY. And then, gee lets think if one COMPANY controled that.

[CmdrRickHunter]

Horridly

Can you imagine complaining that you can't get on the internet because your neighbor's wifi cd player is using the same bandwidth with interfering protocols?

FCC does need to control our airwaves bandwidth, because it is a common property. See the tradgedy of the commons if you want to know why the FCC is there.

[LuciusBodi]

This will benefit the Big Players

I'm sure like anything else this will benefit the big corps from Google to Microsoft and etc. They will use the White Spaces to extend their influence on broadband access. It will benefit them in ad revenues and direct usage charges too perhaps. I would be very surprised if these airwaves were turned over to the people of this country who actually own them for even a regulated access to free air space by independent internet broadcasters who would like to be able to compete with the media behemoths. Nothing happens in this country without it benefitting the corporate powers that be.

[ScottMo]

Quit bashing corps

Having possession of the airwaves is one thing, using it is another. The White Space Coalition has promised to design devices that won't bleed over to adjoining channels. This is about being able to design and run a wireless ISP along with the as-yet-undeveloped equipment. Its not about your buddy running his own internet broadcast. Maybe if he got together with 1000 friends and they all kicked in $100 and hired engineers to design a new type...oh wait, that's a corporation.

[t8]

OK, give it to small players

Now what?

[Drpixelphd2]

Here Here Bodi!

Just goes to show that the true power lies not in Big Brother................it's Wall Street that controls the economy of the world, not just the Great US of A!

[NWLB]

Thereeeeeee heeeeeerrrrreeeeeeee.....

N/M.

[worldchanger]

While I think this is great technology, there still hasn't been adeqate testing. Some of the bigger issues that this article doesn't cover is wireless devices used by broadcasters, concerts, sporting events, schools, and countless other places. Everything from wireless transmission devices for remote camera feeds, wireless communication devices, and wireless microphones that operate in this same whitespace. Larger markets are going to feel the impact of this decision more than any other area. Let's look at the Superbowl for instance. It will be near the February 2009 deadline with the DTV rollout near completion. How does all of this effect their use of wireless devices? Well this includes two-way-radios for event officials, wireless communication between coaching staff, wireless mics used by the coaching officials, wireless communication for the production team, broadcasters, and well you get the idea. Did we mention halftime? At a regular season game, they have to coordinate 400-500 frequencies, but at the Super Bowl, that goes up to 2,000 frequencies, and over 10,000 RF devices. With Google, Microsoft, and other companies now making devices to compete using these same frequencies it will begin to cause problems at many of our favorite entertainment venues. What about Nascar wireless cameras, communications from pit crews to drivers, and etc? How about large shows like Cirque de Soleil? I have heard from their officials and they have said that their show can go on if they loose a wireless microphone, but they must shut down the show if their rigging crew manning the safety lines for their performers can't communicate any longer.

These devices are supposed to sense any used frequencies in the area and jump to an unused frequency. Problem is earlier this year they tested this technology at Fedex Field during a preseason game with Washington and the devices failed 50% of the time using frequencies already taken and falsely identifying used frequencies.

So moving forward a year from now when all these devices are now in use, and we are at the superbowl with over 2000 frequencies being used. Generally it takes place in a large metropolitan area, so DTV will be taking up a huge portion of the spectrum and we add over 50,000 of these wireless devices trying to all fight for the very same whitespace. For the NFL it already is a coordination nightmare working with all the agencies involved and making sure nobody is using the same frequency for any one of the 10,000 wireless devices they use and can control. Now we throw in those 50,000 wireless devices that they can't control or predict anything about. Needless to say the coming months will be crucial and interesting.

I don't oppose the new technology, but I do think it needs to be properly tested before a mass rollout occurs.