Advanced Television

Ofcom clears way for ‘white space’ networks

November 19, 2009

Rural areas of the UK could gain access to broadband Internet services by using spare television spectrum after Ofcom gave the green light to the technology’s development. The communications regulator published a discussion paper on use of so-called 'white space' spectrum – the buffer radio spectrum between television channels, inviting the industry to push forward on the technology.

In addition to rural broadband, the white space spectrum could be used to launch new connected devices, such as digital cameras that transmit images back to a computer as soon as the shutter is clicked, or controllers to allow people to set their central heating remotely. A host of technology companies, such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Dell, is known to be interested in offering services using the technology which would be exempt from the licence fees that mobile phone operators pay.

Categories: Articles, Regulation