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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.
Ofcom releases 2012/13 plan: no UK 4G until you've eaten your vegetables
UK telecoms regulator Ofcom has released its draft plans for 2012/13 with big changes ahead for nerds on this side of the Atlantic. The auctioning off of the 800MHz and 2.6GHz spectrums for 4G internet is coming as soon as the British FCC has booted off the remaining TV services that still use 'em. It's gonna open an online complaints site (for when the Saturday evening show of your choice offends you), crack down on slow broadband speeds and keep the airways clear for the Olympic Games. Nearly 16 percent of Scotland and five percent of Wales has non-existent mobile coverage, something Ofcom's pledging to fix. TV-on-demand content also better keep its nose clean over the next 18 months -- it'll be getting the same level of government scrutiny that standard broadcasts receive. Rather wisely, the paper buries the real bad news: it looks like there won't be nationwide 4G mobile internet until 2015 -- so you win this round, America.
FCC to test white space database at its own pace
See that faint silhouette lurking on the horizon? That'd be a wave of white space internet, and it's inching ever closer to the US. On Wednesday, the FCC confirmed that it will begin testing a new database that will enable gadgets to operate on white space airwaves, nearly a year after first ratifying its "super WiFi" initiative. The Spectrum Bridge database, as outlined last year, will map out all channels that aren't being used by radio or TV services, thereby preventing broadband devices from interfering with broadcasts. The system will be tested over a 45-day period beginning on September 19th and ending on November 2nd, in order to make sure that it correctly distinguishes available channels from those currently in use. Cable operators and wireless mic users are invited to register with the database to test its accuracy, but this trial period could easily be extended if the Commission determines that further tests are in order. And, though there's still no indication that unlicensed broadband devices will be hitting the market anytime soon, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski seems confident that this white space spectrum could drastically change the industry. "Unleashing white spaces spectrum will enable a new wave of wireless innovation," Genachowski explained. "It has the potential to exceed the billions of dollars in economic benefit from WiFi, the last significant release of unlicensed spectrum, and drive private investment and job creation." You can read the FCC's full public notice, after the break.
UK plans White Space mobile internet by 2013, while analog TV gently weeps
As if there weren't enough reasons to move to Britain. Free from the wrangling that has dogged things in the States, Ofcom has released plans to make the UK the first country in Europe to implement white space mobile internet. For the unaware, white space is the general term for unused but allocated spectrum, in this case it's frequencies normally reserved for analog TV. White space offers vastly increased range, speed and signals that penetrate areas where 3G fears to tread. There are already trials taking place to try to connect the remote Scottish Isle of Bute and Ofcom is aiming to have things rolled out nationally by 2013. Brits clinging to their old-school FM radios be warned, Ofcom is coming after those frequencies next.
IEEE brings white space internet one step closer, we almost felt a twinge
Kudos to the IEEE for rushing this new 'super WiFi' standard through so very speedily for the sake of rural communities with poor web access. Designated "IEEE 802.22," it promises to bring speeds of up to 22Mbps to devices as far as 60 miles away from the nearest transmitter. How's that possible? Well, the standard carefully exploits swathes of unused white space within transmission bands that were originally reserved (and jealously guarded) for analogue TV. These frequencies currently contain nothing but hiss and occasional communications from dead people, but one day they could and should be filled with the hopes, aspirations and Facebook updates of country folk who are very much alive. Read the signs in the PR after the break.
Microsoft-led consortium to trial super WiFi network across the pond
British mobile bandwidth hogs won't have to curb their data enthusiasm anytime soon if a scheduled 'super WiFi' trial minds it manners. Led by Microsoft and backed by the UK's biggest TV providers, this roided-up wireless network surfs along the spare 150MHz spectrum that terrestrial television avoids. Christened the 'white spaces,' networks abroad (and in the US) maintain these unused frequencies to prevent signal interference, but with MS' Dan Reed calling spectrum "...a finite natural resource," operators don't have much else to mine. Set for testing in Cambridge -- chosen for its dense cluster of buildings old and new -- this repurposed TV signal walks through walls its weaker mobile brethren smack into (at up to 16Mbps, no less!). With a similar British Telecom rollout already underway in Scotland, we'd say the tech has an imminent Anglo-future -- pity the US can't seem to unravel the red tape fast enough for a homegrown build-out. [Image credit via ZDNet UK]
Houston grandmother becomes host of first 'super WiFi' hotspot, proves you're never too old for wireless
This ain't your grandma's WiFi -- that is, unless your grandma is 48 year-old Leticia Aguirre. The Houston woman became the host of the very first "super WiFi" hotspot, earlier this week -- the new network takes advantage of unused UHF TV channels to bring internet service to underserved communities. In collaboration with researchers at Rice University, a Houston-based non-profit fittingly referred to as Technology for All (TFA), facilitated the setup and is in the process of deploying more whitespace hotspots across the area. The FCC approved use of whitespace for the new "super WiFi" back in September of last year. Full PR after the break.
Microsoft's SpecNet promises to seek out unused wireless spectrum
Microsoft's been toying around with hardware for so-called white space spectrum for some time now, and it's now back with another fairly ambitious scheme. Dubbed "SpecNet," the hardware in this case in actually a network of spectrum analyzers that would seek out and map where spectrum is available and where it's not, and let unlicensed devices use it when it's available. Of course, that's still all a bit theoretical, and it does face a few significant hurdles. Those spectrum analyzers, for instance would cost between $10,000 and $40,000 apiece, and you'd obviously need a lot of them for a nationwide network, although Microsoft suggests that they could be set up on an ad hoc basis and assigned to different areas for a specific time period. Those interested in the finer technical details can dive into Microsoft's full paper on the subject at the source link below.
Skype 5 for Mac out of beta, group video calling part of Premium subscription
Skype has released the latest version of its communication software; it's out of beta and ready for download. The beta version of Skype 5 for Mac has been available for a little while now, but this is the final version they've settled on, featuring a more minimal interface with simpler views, less whitespace and more information about contacts and communications all condensed in one place. The group video calling that was available for free in the beta has been moved into the Premium subscription model, where it's included with customer support calls for a day pass of US$4.99, or an $8.99 per month subscription. New users get to use the service for free for seven days, so if you just want to try it out, you can do that. Unfortunately, a lot of the feedback on this version so far has been pretty negative, but many of the complaints we saw were about the extra whitespace and window size issues, so maybe this latest version will fix most problems. Skype is available as a free download from the website, and of course Skype Credit and Premium services are an extra charge.
FCC: white space devices won't require spectrum sensing modules
Phew. For a moment few years there, we thought any device set up to operate on these so-called white spaces -- which have been vacated following the analog-to-digital TV transition -- would be forced to use spectrum sensing modules in order to ensure that no TV station was operating in areas in which it wanted to. Based on the FCC's Second Memorandum Opinion and Order, which was just published a few days back, it looks as if forthcoming white space devices will not be required to ping databases in order to make absolutely sure that it won't interfere with TV stations. That's the long and short of it, which is fantastic (if not expected) news for device makers and anyone who despises red tape, but Ars Technica has taken an in-depth look at why the Commission made such a call. Indeed, the FCC's 2008 Order mandated that white space gadgets check in beforehand in order to "protect TV signals from interference." Essentially, the call that nixed this addition was the fact that this security ring would inadvertently provide "many wireless microphones systems that go to unlicensed use" -- things like wireless systems at churches, football games, concerts, etc. As with anything FCC-related, it's a long and wordy explanation, but those interested in the finer details are just one click away from the nitty-gritty.
FCC votes unanimously in favor of using whitespace for 'super WiFi'
Just as we suspected earlier this month, the Federal Communications Commission has voted unanimously (that's five yeas and zero nays, if you need a specific tally) in favor of using the unlicensed whitespace airwaves for what it calls a "super WiFi" of sorts. The vote accordingly also mandates a database mapping out TV channels and major wireless mic users (e.g. broadway theaters and sports leagues), with at least two channels set aside for minor users of wireless mics. Google's Public Policy Blog wasted no time in praising the move, and more specifically the apparent rejection of "calls to enact burdensome and unnecessary constraints" that would discourage innovation. The company is accordingly now waiting on Chairman Julius Genachowski and friends to name administrators to the geolocation database and specify rules for its operation -- the last step, it believes, before products can reach consumers. So there you have it, the spare spectrum is all but good to go... ladies and gentleman, please don your thinking caps and get to work pronto.
FCC set to approve use of unlicensed airwaves for whitespace internet, wants 'innovators and entrepreneurs' to exploit them
(function() { var s = document.createElement('SCRIPT'), s1 = document.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0]; s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; s.src = 'http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js'; s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s, s1); })(); Digg Good old whitespace is finally about to get itself some real action, courtesy of the FCC's upcoming (and long-delayed) ratification of a decision to authorize its unlicensed use. Opening up the spare spectrum that resides between TV channels' broadcasting frequencies -- which in itself has expanded in the wake of the transition from analog to digital television -- is expected to be a massive boon to innovation, with exponentially larger wireless networks being the first prospective benefit. Such wireless nirvanas have already been set up in Claudville, Virginia and Wilmington, North Carolina, while Microsoft, Google, HP, Sprint, and others are said to be mulling and testing out their own ways for exploiting the newfound wireless freedom as well. Another positive note is that former requirements for white space-using devices to be able to tap into a database and identify themselves are likely to be scrapped, making for much simpler rollouts of whatever awesome new tech awaits in our future. [Thanks, Marc]
Senators ask FCC to prioritize action on broadband white space, FCC promises nothing
Senators John Kerry (D - MA) and Olympia Snowe (R - Maine) have written a letter to FCC chairman Julius Genachowski asking them to prioritize actions on broadband white space while adhering to the scheduled Broadband Action Agenda, finishing it up by the third quarter of 2010. The national broadband plan includes 360 recommendations, with the white space action being just one of them. The letter reminded the commission that it's been about two years since it first authorized the use of white space, which would allow the use of unused television channels for wireless broadband.
White space 'Smart City' network goes up in Wilmington, North Carolina
White space internet just took another step on its long, vaporous journey: in addition to the 916-person trial in tiny Claudville, Virginia kicked off last year, Spectrum Bridge just launched its first large-scale "Smart City" network in Wilmington, North Carolina. If you'll recall, white spaces are the bits of spectrum in between TV frequencies, and a whole host of heavy hitters including Microsoft and Google pushed the FCC to open them up for data usage after years of lobbying and comically failed tests. Wilmington was selected for the big trial since it was the first community to switch completely to DTV broadcasting, and the city's using the new network for a variety of infrastructure tasks, including traffic camera monitoring, free WiFi in city parks, and remote wetlands monitoring stations. There's also more to come, including medical uses and more broadband for schools as time goes on. We're assuming NAB is totally SulkyFace5000 right now, but we've got to hand it to the White Spaces Coalition -- after all that talk, they've finally gotten up and running in a larger community. Anyone in Wilmington care to chime in and tell us how it's working?
FCC starts up white spaces database, devices now inevitable
White space devices seem likely to play a major part in the FCC's solution to the wireless spectrum crisis. Operating in the buffers between frequencies used by television broadcasts, these devices will be able to exploit TV's airspace without interfering with the incumbent users' traffic. The unlicensed utilization of white spaces has been approved going on for a year now, but really important government stuff has gotten in the way of making that vote a reality. It was only recently that Claudville, Virginia got the very first such network, and initial results show that it hasn't disrupted any of the fine, fine programming percolating the local airwaves. The only issue we see is that your WSD will need to be capable of both identifying its own position by GPS and hooking up to the database to find out what bands it may use, but then it's not like anyone sells smartphones without these capabilities nowadays, is it?
First 'white space' network hits Claudville, Virginia
Well, this one's been years in the making (literally), but it looks like the very first white space network using those newly freed up broadcast TV channels has now been lit up in Claudville, Virginia (population 916), which should just be the first of plenty more rural communities to come. As you might expect, the network was no small undertaking even considering the size of the town, and involved an "experimental license" from the FCC, network infrastructure from Spectrum Bridge, and a slew of equipment that Dell, Microsoft and the TDF Foundation contributed to the local school and computer center. No word on anything like actual speeds just yet, but we're guessing the Claudville residents will be plenty pleased regardless, as they've been stuck with nothing more than dial-up or expensive satellite internet until now.
Microsoft still hot for white space, describes WhiteFi wireless tech
The white space odyssey continues, with manufacturers of all backgrounds and sizes salivating so heavily over the bountiful frequencies opened up by the DTV transition that they're willing to fight the NAB in a corporate cage match of epic proportions. Microsoft, part of the White Spaces Coalition and a company that's not always had success at this whole frequency-sharing thing, isn't giving up yet, presenting a paper this week at ACM SIGCOMM 2009 describing yet more new approaches and algorithms that would allow white space communication that functions like traditional WiFi devices -- but with ranges measured in miles instead of feet. Dubbed WhiteFi, the tech would include algorithms to enable both access points and clients to zero in on the same locally disused frequencies without stepping on the toes of other broadcasters. It certainly sounds like a consumer-friendly implementation, and something we'd very much like to deploy at the 442 acre Engadget compound in northwestern Montana (it's three counties away from the nearest hotspot), but we're not entirely convinced this latest approach will find any more success at appeasing/defeating the NAB than any of the prior attempts. [Warning: PDF read link][Via dailywireless.org]
IEEE begins work on wireless standards for white spaces access
We're probably still months, if not years out from seeing this whole white space debate amount to anything productive, but at least the IEEE is already toiling away on two new standards to address architecture and interfaces for white spaces access. In an admittedly jargon-filled release, the group responsible for keeping 802.11n in draft status for 14 centuries has reportedly approved work to begin on a new duo of protocols for "heterogeneous wireless networks based on the existing IEEE 1900.4 standard." The group specifically mentions IEEE P1900.4a, an amendment to 1900.4 which aims to "examine architecture and interfaces for dynamic spectrum access networks in white space frequency bands." Said standard would basically act to define new components for operating in white space frequencies, and with standardization will hopefully come easier implementation of widespread broadband. Check back in a score or so to see if we've made any progress.[Via dailywireless]
NAB throws down, sues FCC over white space internet
Look sharp, Julius: you may have thought the debate over white space internet was over since the FCC approved the Google- and Microsoft-backed plan and the industry's gearing up to make it reality, but part of the new gig is learning that nothing's ever over while NAB still has lawyers at its disposal -- the prickly broadcasting organization has filed suit to stop the tech from hitting the market. As usual, NAB says that despite all the convoluted geolocation sensing and interference detection measures the White Spaces Coalition promises to implement, TV signals will be interfered with, and that's not okay. Of course, we've heard all these arguments for years now, and while white space devices have had a rocky test history, they've been successful recently -- it seems like NAB is taking advantage of confusion at the FCC following the delayed DTV transition to try and pull the rug out while no one's looking. A bastard move, to be sure, but we doubt it's going to be successful -- going up against both the government and the heavy hitters of the tech industry is rarely a winning idea.
White Spaces Coalition launches DB Group, letting devices find their own piece of the spectrum
The white space debate over how (or whether) to utilize unused frequencies in the broadcast spectrum has been going on for nearly two years now, and, despite all the ups and downs (and fear mongering), the various members of the White Spaces Coalition have continued to fight the good fight in the hopes of bringing faster downloads to more places. The latest initiative/olive branch is the formation of the White Spaces Database Group, mapping areas of unused spectrum and enabling devices to verify what frequencies are available based on positional information (likely GPS or cell tower triangulation). It's still early days so there aren't any details about the database itself yet, except that the group intends to keep things "open and non-proprietary" and will work with the FCC to populate it. Now, can't we all just get along and work toward a summer of worry-free wireless?[Via ars technica]
