TV static to become WiFi
A bill passed recently by the U.S. Congress will allow the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to auction off part of the television spectrum. The bill passed is intended to be an extension of payroll tax, allowing workers to keep more of their money when they receive their paychecks. In turn, the government’s cut of the money from the auctions will help compensate for the tax break. The auction is speculated to bring in $25 billion USD. (Someone has to pay for everything.)
The TV spectrum is a 700 MHz band previously used for broadcasting to analog television sets. However, the dawn of the digital age gave birth to a superior way of viewing television. The digital broadcasting replaced the former TV band, ushering in a "higher quality" viewing experience. After the fiasco of switching every analog TV to digital via a converter box, the TV spectrum has remained relatively dormant.
As a result, many specific bands formerly used for television broadcasting can now be used to speed up wireless carrier networks, or expand high speed internet coverage. Many corporations are seeking to purchase a part of the spectrum to construct a long distance Wi-Fi system, possibly replacing home or company modems. Other parts of the spectrum, specifically the D block, a 10 MHz portion is going to allocated to the government for emergency response teams. The goal is to establish a national broadband network for police and fire departments and other public safety organizations. Although the bill has just been passed, it may be a year or up to two years until the auctions actually take place.
Looks like the strict rules over the spectrum on the White Space Coalition may lighten up.
Cabe
