Microsoft Claims Rural White Spaces Plan Could Cost Less Than $12B

Says “not our goal to make a profit” from rollout envisioned for next five years

Author:: TV Technology Staff
Publish date:: Jul 12, 2017

WASHINGTON—Microsoft President Brad Smith revealed the company’s “Rural Airband Initiative” that would use TV white space spectrum at a Media Institute luncheon on July 11. The goal of the plan, according to Smith, is to “close the rural broadband gap.” Already the plan has drawn criticism from the NAB.

To find out more, read Gary Arlen’s full write-up on TVT’s sister publication B&C.

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Computer companies, led by Microsoft, have formed the Connect Americans Now coalition and are seeking to access the so-called TV white spaces to close the rural digital divide.

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The Advanced Television Broadcasting Alliance believes that Microsoft’s push for reversing channels in the broadcast band for unlicensed use for promoting rural broadband would “destroy” hundreds of LPTV and translator stations.

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Regulatory and Standards

Microsoft is pushing the FCC to reserve a "white space" channel in every market in the repack of TV stations following the incentive auction, and broadcasters aren't happy.

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The Voices of Innovation is a group of tech companies that are rallying behind a proposal from Microsoft that the FCC reserve channels in the white spaces of the broadcast TV band for unlicensed devices could be used to promote rural broadband deployment.