White space needs chip makers' backing

"White space" spectrum use is moving forward in the US and UK markets but more work is needed to broaden the ecosystem.
 
According to Strategy Analytics, internet giants Google and Microsoft are driving the push for "white space" to support affordable ubiquitous broadband connectivity to help them reach a larger potential market and extend their service portfolio, but participation by chipset and device leaders is lagging.
 
In a report, Strategy Analytics also said the white space spectrum will provide a cost effective approach for wireless broadband connectivity in rural areas and for machine-to-machine communications.
 
Besides wireless broadband access in rural area and M2M communications, the TV white space should also be viable for backhaul in thinly populated areas in developing markets, although the bandwidth availability and QoS are potentially significant barriers to widespread adoption.
 
Susan Welsh de Grimaldo, director for wireless networks and platforms at Gartner said, "Both Microsoft and Google have been designated white space database administrators by the FCC. Operating the database and the value added services over the database should create new prospects for both parties."
 
"In addition, through their operation of mobile device operating systems, Microsoft and Google have the opportunity to steer device technology in a direction beneficial to their white space ambitions, so furthering the cause of TV white space development," she said.
 
 
Guang Yang, senior analyst at Gartner added, "The Internet community is also driving the standardization of white space. IEEE and IETF develop the standard for air interface and the interface between white space devices and geolocation databases."
 
 "To address the potential markets, the TV white space community needs to speed up the development of the ecosystem, particularly to involve more big-name chipset and device players in the community," the analyst said.