Wifi Revolution

After rejection from the FCC to license a wireless 'white spaces' device on July 31^st, Microsoft (News - Alert) and Philips Electronics have once again submitted new tests to the Federal Communications Commission.

 

The hopes are to bring about a wireless device that would operate in unused portions of the spectrum.

 

As per the filing, the new tests revealed the wireless device perfectly sensing TV signals and completely staying out of that part of the spectrum.

 

Being one of the prime elements of the White Spaces Coalition, Microsoft and Philips are seeking the approval of FCC (News - Alert) to allow wireless devices to operate in the white spaces of the television spectrum in a bid to bring better connectivity to consumers as well as more wireless broadband options.

 

Ed Thomas, a tech advisor to the White Spaces Coalition and a former chief of the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology noted in a statement to the press, "The FCC will likely do its own retest of the device."

 

The White Spaces Coalition hopes the FCC can make a decision to approve the device by the end of the year. The group had originally hoped the FCC would make a decision by October.

 

Earlier this month, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the Association for Maximum Service Television launched a campaign bringing a piece of advice to the FCC to reject white spaces devices. Their claim is that the wireless devices could cause "devastating interference" to digital TV sets.

 

"While our friends at Intel (News - Alert), Google, and Microsoft may find system errors, computer glitches, and dropped calls tolerable, broadcasters do not," Alan Frank, NAB's chairman, commented in a news release.

 

 

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