Japan to use 700MHz band for inter-vehicle communications system
While the future of the 700MHz band is still up in the air 'round these parts, it seems that Japan has already decided what it'll do with it as it makes its own transition away from analog TV broadcasts. According to Tech-On, Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has deemed it suitable to use the 700MHz band (or 10MHz between 715M-725MHz, specifically) for an "inter-vehicle communications system" that it hopes will reduce accidents by allowing vehicles to communicate with each other (not exactly a new concept). This latest decision apparently comes after the MIC also considered using the 5.8GHz band for the same task, but found it to be more easily blocked by obstacles. As with over here, however, the 700MHz band isn't available for re-purposing in Japan just yet, with it only slated to be freed up on July 25th, 2012. Presumably, this all fits in with that worldwide mobile broadband standard for the 700MHz band, although we'll have to wait and see how all the details shake out.
[Image courtesy of toddemslie]
