UK to examine 'white space radio' connectivity potential
UK to examine 'white space radio' connectivity potential
Wireless technology known as ‘white space radio’ is being tested to find out whether it can improve broadband networks.
The European Union is backing a project looking at whether parts of the radio spectrum previously used by the analogue TV signal can be used to boost connectivity in towns and cities and bring high-speed internet to isolated areas.
The first mass trial, involving the public and private sector, will take place in the UK in the next month. Led by watchdog Ofcom, the scheme aims to identify the effectiveness of the technology. To ensure the signal does not clash with TV, each free white space frequency will link devices to a geo-location database via the cloud. Known as the ‘internet of things’, machine to machine communications will link other devices using the bandwidth.
Ofcom chief executive, Ed Richards, said: “Access to spectrum is fundamental to the future success of the UK’s digital economy, providing the infrastructure that underpins all wireless communications.
“The upcoming white space pilot is a very exciting development, which has attracted an impressive line-up of participants, ranging from global tech giants to innovative UK start-ups. This is an excellent opportunity for the UK to help lead in the world of spectrum and one that could deliver huge benefits to society.”
How much white space is available is subject to a number of variables, including the time of day, the equipment used to access it and the location. It will be tested by different partnerships set up in areas including Glasgow, Oxford, and the A14 road in Cambridgeshire. The possibilities for the technology to connect rural areas will be tested in Dorset, Sussex and Hampshire.
Volker Buscher, director of the smart cities initiative at architectural firm Arup in London, told the New Scientist: “Too many trials are designed to prove a limited technical capability. If a technology has to work when three million people need to use it, the trials have to be designed to prove that.”
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