The white space rules have been published in the Federal Register -- BUT certain rule sections will not take effect until further notice, probably at least a few months. Without these, the other rules are useless.… Continue Reading
Thudding a 1.3 pound order on the press table late last Friday, the FCC not only ruined a lot of Washington weekends, but ended years of dispute by authorizing unlicensed devices on TV frequencies. The rules themselves still run to 15 single-spaced pages. Sure, there is always room to quibble over details - but the basic regulatory structure seems workable.… Continue Reading
Engineering and politics do not mix well.
The FCC encountered that truth again this week when it authorized the use of unlicensed devices in vacant TV frequencies, the so-called "white space" spectrum.… Continue Reading
It always looked good on paper. Every city has dozens of TV channels sitting empty. Why not use them for something? As Wi-Fi became popular, Wi-Fi-like unlicensed operation became the application of choice for these “white space” channels – so called because they show up in white on a frequency map. Big money signed on: Microsoft, Google, Motorola, and Intel, … Continue Reading
The FCC has announced yet another round of tests on TV "white space" mobile devices. These products — if they ever reach the market — will be used for unlicensed, Wi-Fi-type communications on locally vacant TV channels. The ongoing tests are intended to determine whether the devices can successfully avoid interfering with TV signals. The … Continue Reading
