Regulators moved closer to clearing the way for next-generation wireless devices and Internet services, dismissing claims they would create signal interference with TV stations, and setting up a vote on their use as soon as next month.The next-generation products, which have yet to be developed, would use "white space," or vacant TV airwaves. Federal Communications Commission engineers conducted several tests this summer of prototype white-space devices. According to an FCC report issued Wednesday, the tests showed that such devices could theoretically operate in these spaces with minimal interference to TV broadcasters and others. (See the full text of the report.)
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said companies would be able to "take advantage of...the spaces between the broadcast channels" and develop innovative, new wireless gadgets. The airwaves could be used "as a low-cost means of having a broadband connection," he told reporters Wednesday.
Mr. Martin circulated proposed rules Tuesday night to the agency's other commissioners for how those vacant TV airwaves could be used.
The FCC's decision to set rules for white-space devices is a victory for high-tech companies including Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc. These companies have lobbied the FCC to allow them to use the unlicensed, vacant TV airwaves. They say access to these airwaves could spark a revolution in wireless services, similar to what happened when the FCC set aside different airwaves that are now used for Wi-Fi networking.
Station owners and wireless-microphone users have opposed the plan, saying the new gadgets could cause interference. The wireless industry and broadcasters have argued that the airwaves should be auctioned off, instead of being given away. The FCC's current plan, however, is to allow free use of the vacant airwaves.
"Now is the time for the FCC to put the power of better and faster broadband in the hands of innovators and entrepreneurs," Google lawyer Richard Whitt said in a blog post Wednesday. He urged consumers to petition the agency to pass the proposed rules.
It is too soon to say exactly how the airwaves would be used, but high-tech companies and consumer electronics makers say there are plenty of options. TV airwaves are more powerful than what consumers use now for Wi-Fi; the waves can go through walls and around corners.
Companies could use the airwaves to offer cheap, powerful wireless Internet access. Google co-founder Larry Page has described the potential services as "Wi-Fi on steroids."
The FCC's action comes just a few days after it dismissed interference concerns involving another chunk of airwaves. The agency wants to auction off those airwaves to a company that would promise to build a free, national wireless Internet network.
Both actions have been pushed by Mr. Martin, who wants to open up airwaves and encourage more wireless Internet competition before a new administration takes over. As a result, the commission could be in a position to act as soon as November on new rules that would open up some TV airwaves for unlicensed use. Those airwaves would become available in February, when the U.S. switches to digital-only TV broadcasts.
Since digital signals take up far less space than current analog signals, there will soon be plenty of unused airwaves around the country. Many channels are left empty to prevent broadcast TV station signals from bleeding into each other.
High-tech companies say they can make devices that will be able to sniff out channels that are in use locally and avoid them. They have also proposed a backup plan that would require new gadgets to come equipped with a GPS chip and software that would tell the device on which channels local stations are broadcasting.
