Google turns attention to white spaces

Now that the 700 MHz spectrum auction is over, Google has turned its attention once again to the "white space" unlicensed spectrum debate: In a letter to the FCC, Google pressed the government to make the spectrum available for Internet services.

"As Google has pointed out previously, the vast majority of viable spectrum in this country simply goes unused, or else is grossly underutilized," Richard Whitt, Google's Washington telecom and media lawyer, wrote in the letter.

The white spaces reside between channels 2 and 51 on TVs that are not hooked up to cable, satellite or IPTV services. Whitt claimed that opening up the spectrum would "enable much-needed competition to the incumbent broadband service providers."

Whitt said Android-powered phones would be a "very nice match" for the unused spectrum but failed to elaborate.

For more on Google's white spaces plans:
- read this article in the WSJ (sub. req.)