Wireless Tech Innovators Watch Closely as FCC Approves White Spaces for Wi-Fi Testing

The possibility of massive Wi-Fi hot spots covering the entire U.S. took another step towards becoming a reality today. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will allow approved networks and devices to utilize airwave gaps between TV broadcasts. Many believe that the FCC decision will begin a new era in wireless broadband access.The unused spectrum between station broadcasts - commonly referred to as "white spaces" - presents a new avenue for wireless broadband access. The FCC will hold a testing phase of operations in Wilmington, N.C., that is scheduled to begin Jan. 26. The small-market testing is designed to address concerns from venues that use wireless microphones and TV stations, who fear that the use of white space networks will interfere with their own broadcasts.
To help monitor this issue, the FCC has created a database that will be run by Spectrum Bridge who will oversee the sharing of airwaves between broadband devices and mics. This will allow venues to register their events and be given a designated signal. Any white space device using the same signal would be required to periodically check in with the database and be given a new channel that is not being used for performances.
Television stations claim that using the white space signals between broadcast signals will cause interference to their transmissions. Music performers bring a similar claim about the proposed interference with their wireless microphones and doubt the effectiveness of the database assigned to oversee this matter.
While both groups are strongly opposed to the use of white spaces, Congress presents a larger obstacle because they are not entirely enthusiastic about the creation of more unlicensed frequencies. The House of Representatives recently passed a bill that is designed to prevent the FCC from designating any future TV spectrum it receives for unlicensed use. The FCC would have to turn those signals into mobile broadband licenses and then sell off to the highest bidder.
If enforced, these policies would prevent the FCC from determining who could develop these unlicensed signals and severely curb innovation.
Obstacles aside, tapping into these airwaves is expected to greatly increase the number of cheap or even free access points throughout the country. Many believe that white spaces have the potential to create a Wi-Fi network that could cover the entire country. Proponents of white spaces believe that a national Wi-Fi network could be used as the base broadband connection for rural communities and serve as the bond to link smart grids together.
The white space signals provide a more effective communication signal because they operate on a lower frequency. This enables the signal to cover larger distances; some estimates predict that it could cover 16 times the area of a regular Wi-Fi hot spot. The signals also have a greater effectiveness because they can pass through with ease and are capable of providing speeds up to 100 megabits per second.
Top companies like Google, Microsoft, HP, and Dell have championed the use of white spaces for years. The low cost of white spaces could reduce the reliance on current high-speed networks for wireless and mobile devices. This would require the creation of new baseband chips to take advantage of the new signal. Microsoft predicts that the use of white spaces would generate a technology production storm. They believe that it would generate between $3.9 and $7.3 billion a year through the production of new technologies and products.

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