FCC approves first device to use television 'white spaces'

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday approved the first device to transmit signals in television "white spaces."

White spaces are the unused airwaves between television channels. The FCC voted in 2008 to designate white spaces for unlicensed use, meaning any device that meets certain technical standards can use the airwaves.

 Various devices, including garage door openers, remote controls and baby monitors, rely on unlicensed airwaves, but television frequencies are particularly powerful. 

Eventually, companies could use white spaces to deploy "super Wi-Fi" technology that could carry Internet signals for miles and through brick walls.

In addition to approving the device from Koos Technical Services, the FCC approved a system from Spectrum Bridge to manage a database to track devices using white spaces.

“With today’s approval of the first TV white spaces database and device, we are taking an important step toward enabling a new wave of wireless innovation," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said. "Unleashing white spaces spectrum has the potential to exceed even the many billions of dollars in economic benefit from Wi-Fi, the last significant release of unlicensed spectrum, and drive private investment and job creation.”

---