The Federal Communications Commission has removed the final obstacle to the commercial use of the “white spaces” of unused spectrum between broadcast TV channels.

“With [the] approval of the first TV white spaces database and device, we are taking an important step towards enabling a new wave of wireless innovation,” said Julius Genachowski, the FCC chairman. “Unleashing white spaces spectrum has the potential to exceed even the many billions of dollars in economic benefit from Wi-Fi, the last significant release of unlicensed spectrum, and drive private investment and job creation.”

The white spaces database that has been approved by the FCC’s technology office has been developed by Spectrum Bridge and is designed to ensures that devices using the new spectrum do not interfere with adjacent TV broadcasts.

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, DTT/DSO, Headline, Policy, Regulation