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twitter's Journal: Broadcasters Unite to Thwart ISP Use of TV Spectrum. 7

Journal by twitter

Hello again, last mile! Using UHF and VHF spectrum for computer networks is so obvious that Microsoft and Google are co-operating to make it happen, but it's an idea traditional broadcasters hate.

A coalition of big-name tech companies - including Dell, HP, Intel, and Philips as well as Google and Microsoft - is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow the use of personal computing devices that transmit data over the country's television "white spaces" - portions of the TV spectrum that aren't used for broadcasting.

Local TV stations have already launched a public attack on the plan, claiming that white space devices will interfere with their signals, and now, the nationwide television networks that piggy-back on these stations are joining the fray.

The airwaves should be liberated because it's owners have never lived up to their public obligations and the model that justified their position is obsolete. Traditional broadcast is a waste but those who now own some spectrum would like to waste all of it. Spectrum belongs to the people and technology has provided a way to share. Broadcasters, your signal is noise.


Broadcasters Unite to Thwart ISP Use of TV Spectrum.

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  • Traditional broadcast is a waste
    This is just wrong. Broadcast is still used by a lot of people.
  • I don't agree with TV/FM space being used for this. AM space, however, bounces off the ionosphere so it broadcasts over MUCH larger distances (thus requires fewer towers) is less useful for human listening range broadcast (there's a reason why AM radio has been taken over by talk radio- because you don't need it to be as perfect as say, music. And we can devise a packet radio system that is even more forgiving than the human ear), and is becoming available as AM radio goes out of business slowly.
