The FCC today approved a controversial plan to allow the next generation wireless devices to access to the empty airwaves between
television channels in the "White Space" for free web surfing.
From the FCC statement
This establishes rules to allow new, sophisticated wireless devices to operate in broadcast television spectrum on a secondary basis at locations where that spectrum is open. (This unused TV spectrum is now commonly referred to as television "white spaces"). The rules adopted today will allow for the use of these new and innovative types of unlicensed devices in the unused spectrum to provide broadband data and other services for consumers and businesses.
The rules represent a careful first step to permit the operation of
unlicensed devices in the TV white spaces and include numerous
safeguards to protect incumbent services against harmful interference.
The rules will allow for both fixed and personal/portable unlicensed
devices. Such devices must include a geolocation capability and
provisions to access over the Internet a data base of the incumbent
services, such as full power and low power TV stations and cable system
headends, in addition to spectrum-sensing technology. The data base
will tell the white space device what spectrum may be used at that
location.Wireless microphones will be protected in a variety of ways. The
locations where wireless microphones are used, such as sporting venues
and event and production facilities, can be registered in the data base
and will be protected in the same way as other services. The Commission
also has required that devices include the ability to listen to the
airwaves to sense wireless microphones as an additional measure of
protection for these devices.All white space devices are subject to equipment certification by
the FCC Laboratory. The Laboratory will request samples of the devices
for testing to ensure that they meet all the pertinent requirements.The Commission also will permit certification of devices that do not
include the geolocation and data base access capabilities, and instead
rely solely on spectrum sensing to avoid causing harmful interference,
subject to a much more rigorous approval process.