Google TV white spaces trial success
Google, WAPA, and partners announced today (8 November) the outcomes of a successful TV White Spaces (TVWS) trial with ten schools in the Cape Town area, which began in March this year.
TV White Spaces are unused channels in the broadcast TV spectrum that offer the potential to improve Internet connectivity where it is most needed – in under-served areas where telecoms infrastructure is lacking.
WAPA said that the trial demonstrated both positive feedback and increased Internet usage by participating schools, which enjoyed broadband Internet connections for the first time.
The TVWS network consisted of multiple base stations located on top of Tygerberg Hospital, which delivered broadband Internet service to ten schools within a 10 kilometer radius.
Each school received dedicated 2.5Mbps service with fail-over to ADSL to prevent downtime during school hours.
WAPA further confirmed that there was no interference with television broadcasts or other telecommunications systems during the six-month trial.
“The thorough measurements gathered during the trial show that TV White Spaces can be used to deliver wireless Internet service without causing interference to primary users,” said Ntsibane Ntlatlapa from CSIR Meraka Institute.
Icasa noted that it intends to use the trial outcomes as inputs into the TVWS regulatory process.
“Regulatory approval of more spectrum as licence-exempt, such as those in the TVWS, will enable WAPA members and the entire wireless industry to serve the market even more effectively,” said WAPA chairperson, Mohammad Patel.
This article first appeared on MyBroadband
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