A coalition of big technology companies wants to bring high-speed Internet access to consumers in a new way: over television airwaves. Key to the project is whether a device scheduled to be delivered to federal labs today lives up to its promise.
The coalition, which includes Microsoft and Google, wants regulators to allow idle TV channels, known as white space, to be used to beam the Internet into homes and offices. But the Federal Communications Commission first must be convinced that such traffic would not bleed outside its designated channels and interfere with existing broadcasts.
The six partners — Microsoft, Google, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Philips — say they can meet that challenge. Today, they plan to give FCC officials a prototype device, built by Microsoft, that will undergo months of testing.
If the device passes muster, the coalition says, it could have versions in stores by early 2009.
Proponents liken the idea to so-called WiFi signals, which provide wireless Internet access from phone or cable companies to users in airports, coffee shops and elsewhere.
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This is interesting but I wonder how the up channel will be done. You can get a TV band signal a hundred miles away but they broadcast at thousands of watts so the net signal would get to you but your transmitter would be too weak to send back.
It’s like that with wi-fi transmitter and receiver power levels are roughly matched for best performance.
That is true boomer maybe they have found a way to get around this or maybe this will simply be used to get a stronger wifi like signal without actually achieving the same broadcasting range as tv but still more then wifi.
I’m not sure if the ‘States is trying this But here in Canada the government is trying that in random ‘hoods in some of our cities. Currently in Saskatoon Saskatchewan there are two hotspot towers in seperate areas that are providing access. For how long? We’re not sure but it beats an internet bill….
(Not TV airwaves just mini towers)
PM