WhiteSpaceCoalition
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Nokia experiments with location-based white space services in Cambridge, UK (video)
Following news of the first successful white space trials in Cambridge, UK, Nokia is now touting its research in the area with a demonstration of location-based services for the unlicensed spectrum. Traditionally, proponents of white space usage have positioned this unused portion of the airwaves as a viable, low-cost method of data transmission, but the Nokia folks have now demonstrated its ability to pinpoint one's location with much greater accuracy than either WiFi or cellular networks. Think of it as a counterpoint to NFC, if you will, but in the following clip, we're shown how an individual might move throughout a museum, and as they approach various exhibits, one's smartphone could provide supplemental information for the nearby artifacts. Beyond its use in museums, Nokia also foresees the technology as useful in the retail space, where businesses may provide consumers with promotions as they walk by. Currently, the necessary equipment to make this all possible is much too large to fit within a typical smartphone, but Nokia hypothesizes that the necessary chipsets and industry standards may be in place by 2015. Until then, you can dream of what might be with the following video.
Cambridge becomes UK's first White Space city as trials declared a success
The UK White Space consortium has declared its technology trials a success in Cambridge today. Some of tech's biggest names teamed up to equip Silicon Fen with Neul's "Weightless" broadband gear -- managing to get an 8Mbps data service out to the residents of rural Orwell. While great for those who can't get fixed line services, the consortium's also emphasized the benefits for Governments who could use an internet of things and cellphone networks, which can offload excess traffic in times of need. All that's required is for Ofcom to double-check the claims that it won't interfere with other wireless transmission formats and deliver its official blessing. Let's hope the Government study doesn't turn up anything unwarranted, as we'd hate to see a British version of LightSquared.
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]
Yet another Microsoft white space device fails FCC testing
Although several other companies have submitted white space devices to the FCC -- we know Philips has one in, and Google's making a lot of noise about new and improved reference designs -- it looks like Microsoft's run of bad luck with the tech continues, with yet another white space transceiver unexpectedly failing during FCC tests last week. There's no word on if the latest unit failed for the same power-related reasons as the previous test devices, but Microsoft's doing a little damage control and saying that the FCC hasn't found any interference with TV signals so far, and that it's easier to pull the plug now and let other, non-MS devices finish out testing. Yeah, we'd say so -- at this point Redmond's bungled attempts to get this stuff working are becoming sort of embarrassing. Google to the rescue?
Google to make white space wireless announcement in wake of FCC auctions
Details are a bit sparse, but according to CNET, in the wake of this week's non-defeat in the FCC spectrum auctions, Google is planning a press call to publicly discuss its intentions to continue lobbying the FCC to favor the pursuit of white space data transmissions. We know Google's all joined up with Microsoft, Intel, and a number of other triple-a companies in the white space coalition -- which intends to provide dynamic wireless access on shreds and scraps of unused radio spectrum, bringing the world a step closer to the magical land of software defined radios -- but exactly what G will be announcing we won't find out until next week.
White space tests fail again -- next up, conquering windmills
At this point all the snazzy new websites and re-focused marketing efforts in the world aren't going to get Google, Microsoft, and the other members of the White Spaces Coalition anywhere if they don't actually demonstrate the broadband-in-between-TV-signals tech in action -- and it looks like that's proving to be harder than expected. For the second time in seven months, a prototype device has failed testing at the hands of the FCC, although this time it wasn't because it was interfering with TV signals -- it just wouldn't stay powered on. Microsoft says the power issue is "unrelated to the technology points we're trying to prove," but as usual, those prickly pears at the NAB aren't being shy about this latest setback, calling it proof that white space broadcasts are "risky technology that has proven to be unworkable." At this point we're honestly torn -- we hate to side with the NAB and we had high hopes for the white spaces concept, but it just doesn't look like it's panning out. Maybe it's time to move on to bigger and better things, eh?
White Spaces Coalition launches another offensive, still no tech on display
We've always been totally enamored of the idea of white space wireless transmissions -- using gaps in the broadcast spectrum reserved for TV to transmit broadband-speed data -- but the sad reality is that despite backing from heavy hitters like Google and Microsoft, the idea's never really gotten off the ground. Fierce opposition from NAB and non-working devices aside, however, the White Spaces Coalition just isn't ready to give up: it's just launched the more consumer-focused Wireless Innovation Alliance, which, as far as we can tell, is basically the same pitch with a much snazzier website. While we'd love to see a groundswell of consumer support help get this tech off the ground, we'd say that best marketing would be for a working device to make an appearance, no?
NAB takes on Microsoft, Google with anti-white space internet ads
It's not often Microsoft and Google are on the same seemingly-losing side of a debate, but things just aren't looking good for the White Space Coalition, the open-airwaves internet access project backed by the two giants, as well as Dell, HP, Intel, and Philips. The once-promising tech was to transmit broadband-speed data in the "white space" between existing television signals, but pretty much failed its initial FCC testing by causing static on nearby channels and hasn't really been heard from since. Well, that's not enough for the feisty suits at the National Association of Broadcasters, which is taking out a series of ads in a campaign against the system, saying that "while our friends at Intel, Google and Microsoft may find system errors, computer glitches and dropped calls tolerable, broadcasters do not." This fight may or may not have legs depending on how the upcoming 700MHz auction goes, but one thing is clear -- the offices of the NAB are clearly not served by Comcast.[Thanks, Mike]
Microsoft to dispute FCC findings on 'white space' device
Hot on the heels of the "white space device" test flop of 2007 (i.e., last week's news) Microsoft is regrouping and firing back at the FCC's findings, claiming that the initial prototype was "defective," but a new model works correctly. In an attempt to convince US regulators that use of the soon-to-be-abandoned 700MHz spectrum is "safe" for wireless internet services, Microsoft (along with White Space Coalition cohorts such as Google and Intel) is claiming that the technology is sound and can work side by side with its broadcast television neighbors -- and they have proof. As you'll recall, the first round of tests apparently produced "static" on nearby channels -- leading the FCC to send the coalition packing -- but Redmond is claiming that a new study carried out by the airwave-controlling agency yielded positive results. So, what might have been a major wind-out-of-the-sails-moment for the 700MHz-champions is starting to look more like a healthy gust of air.
FCC chimes in on 'white space' device from Google, Microsoft and others: it doesn't work
It's hard not to love the promise of the White Space Coalition, which includes players like Google, Microsoft, Dell, Earthlink, HP, Intel and Philips. Those crazy kids want to bring us wireless internet over the "white space" bandwidth in between TV broadcast channels, and we say let 'em. One little problem though, FCC says the concept doesn't work. The prototype that the Coalition submitted for review was designed to sense existing TV signals and transmit around them, but the FCC found it inconsistent in this aim, and won't be giving its stamp approval to a device that interferes with existing broadcasts. The FCC does say that it's open to looking at the next generation of the technology, since better performance is certainly possible, and the White Space Coalition wasn't too downhearted: the group is "encouraged that FCC engineers did not find fault with our operating parameters and remain confident that unlicensed television spectrum can be used without interference." Between this fledgling technology and that upcoming 700MHz auction, things are really looking up for WiFi-jilted mobile internet users across the States.
