Microsoft begins this week in the United Kingdom, with trials of new wireless internet techniques, whereby unused televisiefrequenties be used. The ‘super wifi’technology, especially 3g networks, and relieve congestion.
At the trial, Microsoft is working with the BBC, British Sky Broadcasting and BT, formerly known as British Telecom, reports The Financial Times. The companies want to according to the business daily free frequencies use, also known as ‘whitespace’, which lie between 500 and 800MHz, and were originally intended for digital tv broadcasting. Ofcom, the Uk regulator for the telecommunications sector, has this whitespace-frequencies at the end of 2008 will be released for other applications, such as mobile internet, because some frequencies, in practice, not by tv-stations are used. A license is not required.
Microsoft has the super-wifi technology is already tested on its campus in Redmond. The technology would be supplementary work on normal wi-fi hotspots and has the great advantage that the range at least three times larger than the regular 2400MHz technology. In addition, the signals are less disturbed by obstacles than wi-fi because the technology lower frequencies used.
Microsoft anticipated that the future market for ‘super wifi’ considerably in the coming years is going to grow, because, internationally, there is more tv frequencies for ongelicenseerde applications will be released. The company estimates that the value of this market between 4 and 7 billion dollars.