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FCC documents raise the likelihood of Google TV in KCJun 06, 2012 (The Kansas City Star - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Paperwork for a set-top box filed with the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday signaled yet again that Google Inc. looks poised to sell television programming with its coming Internet service in Kansas City. The application submitted by Google Fiber -- the Google division promising ultrafast Internet service to the Kansas City market -- calls the device "GFHD100." That might stand for Google Fiber High Definition, but a Google spokeswoman declined to comment. A test report submitted to the FCC for the gadget from South Korean manufacturer Humax Co. suggests the black box will have inputs for USB data hook-ups; LAN -- or local area network -- computer cables; and HDMI -- high-definition multimedia interface -- lines for digital audio and video signals. It also includes a Wi-Fi transmitter for wireless data signals that require approval from the FCC. Google earlier this year applied for an FCC license for an "antenna farm" in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Such a collection of satellite dishes could be critical for capturing commercial television programming. The company has also gained licenses in Kansas and Missouri to sell television service. Google announced more than a year ago that it would build a high-speed Internet network in the Kansas City market, including fiber optic cables to homes capable of delivering download speeds 100 times faster than the national broadband average. Although its schedule has slipped, the company has indicated that it will begin selling its service in unidentified neighborhoods in Kansas City, Kan., this summer. The California-based tech giant has remained mum on whether it would bundle a pay-TV component with its Internet service. Yet analysts have said Google would likely need to offer a TV package to lure customers away from the cable and phone operators who sell Internet hook-ups to most households. Google's FCC documents, first discovered by the tech website Engadget, describe an "IP-set top BOX." That suggests Google will use technology similar to AT&T's U-verse service that delivers cable-like programming digitally over the Internet. "This is standard operating procedure ... for somebody who's going to sell TV," said cable industry analyst Steve Effros. "You need a set-top box." To reach Scott Canon, call 816-234-4754 or send email to [email protected]. ___ (c)2012 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.) Visit The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.) at www.kansascity.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |