Archive notice: This article was originally published on March 26, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Under the name “WiFi 2.0”, Google has launched an initiative for wireless broadband access over analogue television frequencies. In a letter to the US regulatory authority, the Federal Communications Commission, the search engine giant advocates opening up unused TV frequencies for use as wireless Internet access. The frequencies freed up after television digitisation, the so-called “white spaces”, would be a practical way to provide areas with comprehensive, inexpensive high-speed Internet service. Data rates with this technology would be one gigabit per second, say the proponents of opening up the spectrum, the “White Spaces Coalition” (WSC).
The WSC includes industry heavyweights such as Microsoft, Google, Dell and HP. The first devices needed to use the vacant TV frequencies were submitted to the FCC for testing more than a year ago. Approval was refused at the time, however, with the FCC citing interference with neighbouring frequencies used for television transmission. This pleased the TV broadcasters, who, supported by mobile network operators, had warned that the technology would interfere with television broadcasts or telephone calls.
The technology has since been developed further and the approach improved, however. Previously, devices searched for free frequencies and identified the parts of the spectrum already in use in order to prevent interference. The core of the new method, developed mainly by Motorola, is based on a kind of dial tone. Once a device has detected a free frequency, it waits for confirmation from the local transmitter before data transmission begins, US media report.
Although the discussion about switched-off analogue television frequencies is taking place mainly in the USA, the European Commission is already keeping an eye on white spaces in Europe as well. In November 2007, Media Commissioner Viviane Reding called on member states to reserve the vacant frequencies, also known as the “digital dividend”, for mobile Internet. According to a strategy paper, however, mobile TV and other multimedia services could also be transmitted over these frequencies alongside web access services. A major argument is the simple and rapid provision of coverage for large regions that have so far been poorly served.
