[geeks] Free the airwaves

[james]

> Google has an interesting ad campaign running - Free the
> Airwaves[0], aimed at turning unused TV channels into
> broadband access for everyone.
> 
> I find it interesting that they say:
> 
> "Remember that fuzzy static between channels on the old
> TVs? Today more than three-quarters of those radio
> airwaves, or "white space" spectrum, are completely
> unused."
> 
> Technically, I think they mean the unused channels, not
> between the channels (TV channels are in several contiuous
> bands, IIRC, with Gov't and other services using the
> airwaves between those bands.[1]
> 
> What are the chances that most that sign up have any idea
> what they are talking about, aside from magical "wireless
> broadband"?

The TV bands are going to go to auction soon anyways. The
digital broadcast change is moving TV into a much smaller
single band (UHF, I think). So all that space is going to go
to the highest bidder anyways.

TV has occupied some tasty bandwidth, including a chunk of
the "low band" (60 Mhz). The low band has unique propagation
characteristics that are appealing.