On Sundays I offer comments on some of the most interesting information technology stories that I have found on the web that week.  Please feel free to join in the discussion or suggest stories during the week.

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This week’s story is from PC World and concerns one of the most pressing challenges of our Information Age.  As more and more people expect more and more bandwidth from more and more mobile, wireless devices, those smart devices will need more and more spectrum allocation to function.  Since there is a finite amount of usable spectrum and it is nearly all already spoken for, there will be winners and there will have to be losers in the coming spectrum wars.  My money is on the flush with cash mobile phone telcos to “steal” spectrum from all those others who cannot afford to legally defend their stakes in cyberspace.

The only possible compromise that is currently technologically feasible is the creation of spectrum bands with short range, but smartly allocated frequency use.  This is similar to the idea of digital cell phones, but with far greater spread spectrums and thus higher throughput and bandwidth.  The growing idea is to have large swaths of so called multiple use, unlicensed spectrum that gets carved out of the currently under or non-used areas of “white space”.  The challenge is that someone will need to map that space and serve to deconflict legitimate uses and arbitrate harmful interference situations.  And this is where our news story picks up:

PC World – Google Offers to Help Run a ‘white Spaces’ Database

Google is soliciting the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the company to be an administrator of a database that would allow devices to access broadband Internet on unlicensed TV signal spectrum, known as "white spaces."

 

The position is a reversal for Google, whichsaid in February 2009 that it did not plan to be an administrator.

 

The database, which could have several providers, is needed to ensure devices do not cause interference with nearby signals used for TV broadcasts. In November 2008, the FCC approved the use of devices at powers of up to 100 milliwatts on the white space spectrum or up to 40 milliwatts on spectrum adjacent to operating TV stations.

At the core of this issue is an inherently governmental function – management of natural resources for the benefit of its citizens.  In this case, the resource is spectrum.  As such, as attractive as Google’s offer may be, I believe that the federal government needs to find a way to do this internally even if that means growing resources.  There would simply be too much temptation and potential conflict of interest involved in putting the company that profits most from Internet usage in charge of managing spectrum to assist other companies in delivering ever more bandwidth,  No one, including Google needs that temptation.

What do you think about this topic?  Do you agree or disagree with me? Do you have a recommended news story for next week? Please share your ideas below.

That is my Information Technology Thought of the Day (ITTOD) for January 10, 2010  by Scott Coughlin.

Image Credit: hongkiat.com


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