Microsoft will be fighting this week to convince the FCC to allow the use of TV airwaves for Internet devices. It's the second time that Microsoft tries to push the FCC to allow this kind of device (first time was in March 2007). The case failed back then, with TV broadcasters worrying that it might affect the quality of TV transmissions.
The lobbying challenge is pretty tight. on one side, Microsoft, Google, Intel, Dell, Philips. On the other side, the National Association of Broadcasters. The NAB's position statement is clearly expressed: "the transmitter in the prototype device is capable of causing interference to TV broadcasting and wireless microphones." However, Microsoft argues that it has come up with a more intelligent device that detects broadcasting activities and uses exclusively white spaces.
Microsoft designed the new device that is being backed by the new-media team and their hardware providers. Allowing the use of TV airwaves for Internet devices would ameliorate Wi-fi connections in remote areas, mostly rural areas. Tech blogs saw the Microsoft initiative as a possible mean to launch a Zune phone.
That rumor eventually vanished, but Microsoft persists in its quest for the use of the white spaces. That's a lot of airwaves new-media companies are fighting for these days. Kevin Martin, president of the FCC, is already busy ruling over the auction of the 700 Mghz wireless broadband spectrum. Google is leading the front battle there, persistently lobbying to make this auctioned spectrum free of ownership, turning telcos into third-party providers.
It's amusing to notice that Microsoft fighting for airwaves leads to rumors of a potential Zune phone the same way that Google fighting for open wireless spectrum leads to rumors of a potential Google phone. This being said, the fight that new-media are engaging for additional airwaves reveals their desire to gain independence from telcos.
Well, simply put, on February 19 2009, nationwide TV will transit from analog to digital. That means tons of airwaves will be available and up for sale. Just like a good opportunity in the real estate market, the house will find a buyer even before the sale was made public.
Wait, digital doesn't mean ground line, right? You can get wireless digital content, absolutely, but:
The coalition (DTV) warns that millions of households that rely solely on over-the-air television signals are at risk of losing television reception unless they take the necessary steps to receive the digital signal by the Feb. 17, 2009, deadline, when analog TV broadcasting will cease. Millions more households that receive over-the-air signals on secondary TV sets could also be affected.
Public education strategies are being elaborated to educate consumers on how to maintain their over-the-air television signals. However, there's most probably going to be a lot of people switching to ground-line television, for technical or psychological reasons.
A lot of changes are about to take place, and while TV is slowly switching to ground-line transmissions, Internet protagonists are slowly acquiring the airwaves for portable devices.
