UnlicensedSpectrum
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FCC approves first LTE-U devices
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that as a way to help alleviate network congestion, his organization has approved devices that tap into the LTE-U spectrum. Specifically, allowing devices to access the less-trafficked, unlicensed parts of the 5GHz frequency band. In layman's terms this means that as demand for Wi-Fi networks increases, LTE-U backs off a bit. And when the reverse happens, customers can take advantage of some of the unused network capacity for their LTE gizmos. T-Mobile will be among the first carriers to do so, and allow its customers to co-opt the first 20MHz of "underutilized unlicensed spectrum" in the 5GHz band.
FCC approves first white space device and database for Wilmington, NC
The FCC has approved the first device to use the much buzzed about "white spaces" between television broadcast frequencies to transmit data. The recipient of the honor is a receiver from Koos Technical Services that's designed to be a last-mile connection for surveillance cameras and telemetry systems. The radio will tap into database run by Spectrum Bridge to ensure it doesn't interfere with other broadcasts. Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement that, "we are taking an important step towards enabling a new wave of wireless innovation. Unleashing white spaces spectrum has the potential to exceed even the many billions of dollars in economic benefit from Wi-Fi, the last significant release of unlicensed spectrum, and drive private investment and job creation." For now, only the city of Wilmington, NC will be able to benefit from the approval, as the FCC continues to iron out the details that will prevent these devices from interfering with wireless microphones. Check out the press release after the break for more info.
