Release date 09/23/2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Consumers Union today applauded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its unanimous vote in favor of rules to open up “white spaces” — the unused public airwaves between TV channels — for tech companies to offer high-speed Internet and other services.
Parul Desai, Policy Analyst for Consumers Union, said the decision is a milestone on the road to providing better mobile Internet service, especially in underserved areas such as urban neighborhoods and rural communities.
“More people are using portable devices to surf the web. Opening up these airwaves could mean more robust broadband services in more places,” Desai said. “As access to broadband becomes more critical to everyday life, it becomes more important for wireless broadband service to reach areas that aren’t being served by wireline providers.
“If done right, the possibilities for innovation are enormous, and it could be a real boon for consumers. We want to continue working with the key players to ensure that white space technologies are delivering these benefits to consumers,” she said.
Contact:
David Butler, Consumers Union, 202.462.6262 or dbutler@consumer.org