'White Space' Wireless Technologies, One Step Closer to Becoming a Reality

The move from analogue to digital TV broadcasts may be starting to be pay off as plans to fill the unused radio space, left vacant by the switch, with cheap broadband wireless Internet connections are moving forward. The US made the switch earlier this year, after several delays, and the US Federal Communications Commission is now creating a database of known signals which are allowed to use the space. This will allow devices which would use the so-called “white space” for wireless connections not to interfere with licensed broadcasters.

Devices which will take advantage of the white space for communications are required to have a couple of features, a geo-location capability and a way to access the database which will be set up. This will ensure that the device can switch to an alternative channel should the one it is using be licensed in that particular location. The database will also be used to store the location of fixed devices which would make use of the spectrum.

The government agency also decided to allow companies to set up their own databases which will provide similar services and they can then charge for registering fixed devices. "Selecting an administrator for the white spaces database is a crucial step toward bringing consumers another choice in a restrictive broadband marketplace," Harold Feld, legal director of Public Knowledge, said. "We expect that use of the white spaces spectrum will foster innovation and create jobs as new devices and services become available."

The white space spectrum holds a lot of promise for the future of wireless communications as it has some major advantages over the existing wireless technologies. One big draw is the lower cost of equipment which would make use of this portion of the radio spectrum but the biggest advantage is the significantly increased range at which these devices can operate. This should significantly improve wireless broadband penetration especially for remote or inaccessible locations. [via eWeek]