14 DAY TRIAL // With all the information on the net, and its vastness, one might be tempted to think that the communication service is about as far-reaching as it can get, but that is not the case, despite efforts on the part of data carriers.
True, cities and towns usually have Internet everywhere of import, but rural areas aren't as lucky, and that goes for California as much as for any other place.
In fact, rural California doesn't really have much Internet to speak of, because cable is too hard and expensive to wire.
Wireless transmissions were considered in the past, but interference and scaling have mostly prevented relays from being installed.
As it stands, most people have to make do with the rather slow speeds of satellite networks, and while they perform well enough, there is room for something better.
Cal.net is now working on a plan involving white spaces, or the unused portions of the radio spectrum, to send wireless signals over long distances.
The first service will be rolled out in El Dorado, where almost 60,000 residents have minimal access to the web.
"Over 59,000 residents in our rural service area have had little or no quality Internet access," explained Cal.net CTO Ken Garnett, who began investigating the White Space technology several years ago.
"When I discovered Carlson, their White-Space network equipment was a quantum leap ahead of all other contenders. This new product allows us to serve a large contingent of these people."
Carlson (the one that brings the hardware) and Cal.net are going to rely on their FCC-granted Special Temporary Authority to set up the USA's first independently-funded commercial-grade TV White Space (TVWS) broadband network in the area.
"Carlson specializes in rugged territory," noted Jim Carlson, CEO of the Arcata-based RF design firm.
"Rural broadband has long been the focus of our efforts, and we knew as soon as the FCC set aside TVWS for broadband that this would be the preeminent solution for rural areas."
Sources: Carlson Wireless, Cal.net