TimmyH
Google Advocacy and Free Airwaves
September 24th 2008 02:36
Google has started a new website aimed at promoting the post-digital use of “White Space” for Internet access.
When broadcast media officially goes digital in the US next February the old channels will no longer be in use. Media companies like Google, Microsoft and Dell have long advocated that this “White Space” should be opened up so that regular Internet users have another portal into the Web.
FreeTheAirwaves.com is a grassroots program that Google is championing in order to raise support for the use of “White Space” in the post-analogue world. The site is fashioned to be a public advocacy forum where users can put pressure on legislators to open up the airwaves when they’re departed by TV broadcasters.
Google obviously has a self-interest in seeing the expansion of the Web, as do Dell and Microsoft. But they have not been shy about it.
“Google has a clear business interest in expanding access to the web,” Minnie Ingersoll, a product manager in Google’s alternative access team, wrote on the company’s official blog. “There’s no doubt that if these airwaves are opened up to unlicensed use, more people will be using the Internet. That’s certainly good for Google (not to mention many of our industry peers) but we also think that it’s good for consumers.”
The main objections to the program have so far come from the Broadcasters. Many have suggested that opening up the vacated airways would put pressure on their system which could eventually fail. The technological objections are currently unsubstantiated despite significant research into the subject.
Read more below…
Really Long Link
FreetheAirwaves.com
When broadcast media officially goes digital in the US next February the old channels will no longer be in use. Media companies like Google, Microsoft and Dell have long advocated that this “White Space” should be opened up so that regular Internet users have another portal into the Web.
FreeTheAirwaves.com is a grassroots program that Google is championing in order to raise support for the use of “White Space” in the post-analogue world. The site is fashioned to be a public advocacy forum where users can put pressure on legislators to open up the airwaves when they’re departed by TV broadcasters.
Google obviously has a self-interest in seeing the expansion of the Web, as do Dell and Microsoft. But they have not been shy about it.
“Google has a clear business interest in expanding access to the web,” Minnie Ingersoll, a product manager in Google’s alternative access team, wrote on the company’s official blog. “There’s no doubt that if these airwaves are opened up to unlicensed use, more people will be using the Internet. That’s certainly good for Google (not to mention many of our industry peers) but we also think that it’s good for consumers.”
The main objections to the program have so far come from the Broadcasters. Many have suggested that opening up the vacated airways would put pressure on their system which could eventually fail. The technological objections are currently unsubstantiated despite significant research into the subject.
Read more below…
Really Long Link
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