Some of the UK’s largest technology and media companies are working together to see if unused TV spectrum could be used as an alternative to WiFi and mobile data. The BBC, BSkyB, BT, Microsoft, Nokia and Samsung are among the companies that have formed the Cambridge TV White Spaces Consortium.
In a statement, the consortium said “With the number of connected devices and data applications growing rapidly, and with mobile networks feeling the strain, we must find ways of satisfying the traffic demands of today and tomorrow. This trial will attempt to demonstrate that unused TV spectrum is well-placed to increase the UK’s available mobile bandwidth, which is critical to effectively responding to the exponential growth in data-intensive services, while also enabling future innovation.”
The consortium is investigating whether unused television channels - often referred to as ‘TV white spaces’ - can be used for broadband access and wireless data.