White spaces in the radio spectrum can now be used for anything from wireless flood defences to city-wide Wi-Fi. Services using the technology could appear before the end of the year with surplus spectrum filling in gaps where Wi-Fi and Bluetooth fail.
The spare spectrum comes from bands currently shared by digital TV and wireless microphones. Industry regulator Ofcom, which will oversee the use of the spectrum, said that companies could now also use the spectrum for certain low-powered networks.
Broadly the technology will allow internet of things devices to communicate with one another and the internet. White space spectrum could also improve broadband coverage in rural areas and boost Wi-Fi signals in crowded cities.
Through a process known as dynamic spectrum allocation certain amounts of white space will be made available for commercial use. Spectrum will be handed out according to rules set by a database that carries out complex calculations to tell devices which frequencies they can use in certain areas and for how long.
Uses for the technology currently being trialled include live video streaming of meerkats at London Zoo and sensor networks to provide flood warnings on the Thames and Cherwell rivers near Oxford.
Trials have also been carried out to bring faster broadband connections to ships travelling near the Orkney Islands. The first commercial uses of the technology are expected by the end of 2015.
The spectrum has an advantage over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in being able to travel over long distances and pass through walls easily. King's College London is currently researching how white space spectrum could be used to improve broadband coverage by linking white space connections between buildings. The technology could also be used to add extra capacity to crowded networks.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
