Microsoft’s new broadband tech can use vacant airwaves

Software major Microsoft has sought the Government’s permission to use the TV spectrum band to provide broadband spectrum on a trial basis.

The US firm, in a presentation to the Department of Telecom, has offered to partner with a public sector telecom company to showcase its technology as an alternative method of reaching Internet connectivity to villages in a cost-effective way.

Microsoft has proposed to do this by tapping the unused gap in terrestrial TV spectrum bands, called white space. White space refers to spectrum allocated for broadcasting services but that remains unutilised. Technically, this spectrum can be used with low-power devices, without causing interference to the broadcasting station.

Sam Pitroda, advisor to the Prime Minister on public information infrastructure and innovations, had earlier said that white-space technologies should be explored. Pitroda had said that most countries have already made regulations for exploitation of white space.

“Affordable broadband access in rural areas could be facilitated by exploiting white space in de-licensed brands,” Pitroda had said in a letter to the Prime Minister.

In its presentation to DoT, Microsoft said that Singapore, Ghana, the UK, Switzerland and the US have already made provisions for the use of white space.

Microsoft has sought an experimental licence to use the frequency band in 470 MHz–790 MHz to run a pilot for a two-year period and showcase the technology in delivering services such as education, healthcare and e-governance in the selected villages.

This is not the first time Microsoft is seeking Government permission to deploy white space technology. In 2009, high-level executives from Microsoft Corporation met officials of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, including the then Chairman JS Sarma, to demonstrate how vacant spectrum can be used to provide broadband services at a fraction of the cost incurred by existing players.

Researchers at Redmond have been working on this technology for more than five years and believe that it has the potential to be a game changer.

According to analysts, only a small percentage of the existing airwaves is being utilised currently. Yet operators face a severe crunch in spectrum due to a legacy of inefficient allocation and utilisation.

Microsoft has developed a platform that will dynamically scan airwaves and transmit data using the white space in spectrum. Though this is similar to a Wi-Fi network, proponents of white space technology claim that their technology offers a much wider range and higher throughput.

The other advantage with this technology is that since it uses vacant spectrum, operators need not take a licence to offer services — as is the case with Wi-Fi operators.

Microsoft, along with other technology giants such as Google, HP, Philips and Dell, is backing this new idea globally to convince regulators that white space should be opened for the use of unlicensed applications.

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