Beyond Web 2.0: Wi-Fi 2.0?
“Google submitted its new proposal to federal regulators late last week, outlining a plan to utilize the unused channels for what the company calls Wi-Fi 2.0: a loosely regulated set of broadband services with the potential for gigabit data speeds.”
“The unique qualities of the TV white space–unused spectrum, large amounts of bandwidth, and excellent propagation characteristics–offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to provide ubiquitous wireless broadband access,” wrote Google attorney Richard Whitt in the company’s proposal to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).”
Read John Borland’s article on Technology Review.
Google talks about a low-cost open infrastructure which could deliver long range wireless Internet. While Wi-Fi is expected to handle data rates up to 300 Mbits/s, Google is actually discussing ubiquitous broadband access in the order of gigabits per second. Note that this opportunity leverages the transition to digital television which leaves vacant TV channels providing not only outdoor but also better indoor coverage, since signals sent at these frequencies can penetrate walls.
Zack Miller talks about this being a potential threat to WiMax on BloggingStocks, implying that Google is following the same underlying strategy they adopted for the 700 Mhz auction:
“Google recently exited the FCC’s 700 Mhz spectrum auction without winning anything but gaining much. The tech giant persuaded the FCC to open up the wireless networks and won big without having to spend almost $5 billion on licenses.”
Related consultaglobal posts:
- Beyond Web 2.0: ready to cut the cord? (2)
- Beyond Web 2.0: ready to cut the cord? (1)
- MANet: Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks
- Web 3.0 And Beyond
- The Internet is so passé
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| Chicago, 29 March 08 |  |
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