I got a call this week from Christopher Mitchell, the Director of the Telecommunications as Commons Initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Mitchell is working hard to generate support for so-called “white spaces” regulations that allow abandoned parts of the broadcast spectrum to be used for new high speed wireless internet technology. Expanding the use, applications and quality of internet acesss in rural areas, especially here on the Iron Range, is a pet project of mine. It could drive a new era for our region’s economy.
So far, it looks like the FCC is going to approve the “white spaces” measure and allow this technology to be explored. The potential is amazing.
Although little is known about the mysterious device, its implications are far reaching. Should the tests go well, it could have the effect of dramatically changing the broadband landscape in the US. Wireless networks using the spectrum should be relatively easy to deploy, and would provide residents of rural areas easy access to broadband while giving everyone else a third alternative to DSL and cable.
~ arstechnica.com
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