TV Band Internet

A group of companies wants to use unused TV bandwidth for the Internet:

The coalition, which includes Microsoft and Google, wants regulators to allow idle TV channels, known as white space, to be used to beam the Internet into homes and offices. But the Federal Communications Commission first must be convinced that such traffic would not bleed outside its designated channels and interfere with existing broadcasts.

The six partners -- Microsoft, Google, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Philips -- say they can meet that challenge. Today, they plan to give FCC officials a prototype device, built by Microsoft, that will undergo months of testing.

If the device passes muster, the coalition says, it could have versions in stores by early 2009.

— Tech Firms Push to Use TV Airwaves for Internet, Cable, Phone Companies Watch Warily, By Charles Babington, Washington Post Staff Writer, Tuesday, March 13, 2007; Page D01

Well, that's an unusual combination of companies. But if it brings some competition to the telco/cableco duopoly, I'm for it.

About the telcos and cablecos, analysts are divided:

Some said a new Internet provider might force the older companies to drop prices. Others said the available white-space spectrum might be too limited to make much of an impact.

Let's try it and see!

-jsq