iPhones in search of 'white spaces'

Say you're hanging out in a new city and want to get online with your smartphone or laptop using empty airwaves known as "white spaces."

But you don't know which airwaves are available for you to use.

Well, there's an app for that.  (Even though it's not very useful yet.)

"White space" networks don't exist yet in most of the country. The FCC is still working out the details of how a such a network would work and how to avoid interfering with neighboring broadcasters on those airwaves.

But Spectrum Bridge, a firm that created a test network in rural Claudville, Va., is trying to get ahead of the game. They created an iPhone application, called Show My White Space, that lets you find empty frequencies that can be used for wireless broadband access.

It's also a way for Spectrum Bridge to show it's capabilities in database management. The company has told the FCC it wants to be in charge of the national database that governs the "white spaces" throughout the country. Google, NeuStar and Comsearch are a few of the other companies who also want to run the database.

White spaces are considered to be part of the solution in expanding wireless broadband access in rural and other hard-to-reach areas, especially in light of the anticipated spectrum shortage.

Spectrum Bridge says white space devices may hit the market as soon as this year, but that may be wishful thinking. The FCC has to come up with with official standards, and the agency's engineers have to approve any devices the electronics industry creates.