Microsoft details Wi-Fi use for 'white spaces'

...to offer services because it is too sparsely populated.

Servicing under-served populations, such as low-income urban families and people who live in rural communities, has become a focus of the Obama administration. And a portion of the $7.2bn (£4.3bn) economic stimulus package passed by US Congress earlier this year has been set aside for companies looking to provide broadband service in these areas.

While many firms seeking these funds hope to use wireless technology to provide broadband, none is able to take advantage of white space technology yet. But with advancements such as the White-Fi technology from Microsoft, some service providers may be able to use unlicensed white space spectrum in the future.

Still, it is unlikely that a nationwide White-Fi service would emerge to compete against the big wireless operators, such as AT&T, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA or Verizon Wireless. White space spectrum differs depending on where you are, and it is unlikely that a service provider would be able to patch together a nationwide service.

By contrast, the big carriers use licensed spectrum, which guarantees coverage in certain areas.

That said, the White-Fi technology or similar technology used to access white space spectrum could be used to augment existing wireless services that use licensed spectrum.

The big wireless operators have already begun to mix their cellular wireless services, which use licensed spectrum, with unlicensed Wi-Fi. For example, T-Mobile USA has its @Home service that allows its mobile-phone subscribers to use Wi-Fi-enabled handsets to switch between its cellular network and Wi-Fi hotspots at home.

Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel are each selling Mi-Fi routers, which allow its wireless broadband subscribers to attach a device to convert the cellular broadband signal into a Wi-Fi signal that can be shared and used with Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as laptops, cameras and music players.

AT&T and Verizon are also using access to public Wi-Fi hotspots to extend broadband service for their high-speed internet customers.

"Hopefully, we will continue to see technology innovation in white spaces," said Chris Guttman-McCabe, vice president of regulatory affairs for CTIA, the trade association that represents the major wireless carriers.

"We hope that the spectrum gets put to good use. And as we've seen with Wi-Fi, I'm sure that as the technology and services evolve, carriers will contemplate incorporating white space spectrum into their own services."