UK telecom watchdog approves white space spectrum to boost mobile internet

UK's telecom watchdog has approved the use of white space spectrum to boost wireless network availability in the UK, thast would also lay the groundwork for Internet of Things in the country, techienews.co.uk reported.

White space are those gaps in the radio spectrum in frequency bands that are marked for specific uses like TV broadcasting, live music or similar such events.

The approved spectrum in the 470MHz to 790MHz range could be used to offer new wireless applications for the benefit of consumers and businesses, according to Ofcom.

One of the main reasons for the use of the spectrum seen as good for the industry was  the fact that signals over this spectrum could travel longer distances and were capable of passing more easily through walls than the bands mainly used by other wireless technologies including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

''Ofcom is now putting in place the foundations for industry to use TV white spaces. A key part of this work has been to allow these airwaves to be shared, while managing the risk of interference for current users'', Ofcom said in a press release.

Though the spectrum was being used for TV broadcasting and 'programme making and special events', not all of the spectrum was used at any given time and for this reason devices would be able to latch onto the unused spectrum frequencies and broadcast data.

The Independent reported that tests had found a range of uses for the technology, such as delivering internet access for ships and boats in the Orkney Islands, which had no wireless broadband.

In a trial at ZSL London Zoo, researchers used TV white space network to stream live video of the Zoo's meerkats, Asian otters and giant Galapagos tortoises to YouTube. The signals were able to penetrate foliage and buildings to establish a fast data connection capable of streaming high quality video.

ZSL London Zoo will further test the technology for use in additional efforts to monitor and protect endangered animals in the wild.