TV white space device prototypes roll out
Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Hitachi Kokusai Electric and ISB claim to have developed the world's IEEE 802.22 standard-based prototypes of base station and consumer premise equipment for use in TV white-space (TVWS) spectrum from 470 MHz-710 MHz.
The PHY part of the prototype devices were developed by Hitachi. NCIT developed the MAC layer, which provides a medium access method based on point-to-multipoint access with support for different QoS levels. It also supports cognitive capabilities for interference estimation, geo-location and white-space database access. ISB is supplying the white-space spectrum database, which is key component in enabling users of white space to avoid interference with incumbent TV broadcasters.
The three said they intend to work closely with the WhiteSpace Alliance to develop enhanced technologies based on 802.22.
Regulators in the United States, United Kingdom and Japan are opening up for commercial use white-space spectrum which sits in the vacant spaces between TV broadcast channels. The FCC says unlicensed TV white space spectrum is now freed up in 6 MHz channels in many major U.S. markets and more should become available through planned incentive auctions of broadcast TV spectrum for mobile broadband use.
- see this joint release
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