IEEE tunes into spectrum possibilities for wireless

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is looking at using the unused frequencies separating over-the-air broadcast TV channels to establish a standard for wireless regional area networks.

The new IEEE project will specify a cognitive air interface for fixed point-to-multipoint wireless regional area networks that operate on unused channels in the VHF/UHF TV bands between 54MHz and 862MHz.

Freeing up this prime area of spectrum has long been a target for Intel, which is developing chips to support 802.16 Wi-Max technology.

In this range, wireless broadband services over long distances can penetrate buildings and operate in adverse conditions.

Governments have begun to look at this issue. In the UK, regulator Ofcom is considering altering licence conditions to allow holders to trade on the rights to parts of their allocated spectrum.

"Signals at these frequencies can propagate 40km or more from a well-sited base station, depending on terrain," said Carl Stevenson, interim chairman of the IEEE P802.22 Working Group, in a statement.

"This is ideal spectrum for deploying regional networks to provide broadband services in sparsely populated areas where vacant channels are available.

"Our goal is to equal or exceed the quality of DSL or cable modem services, and to provide that service in areas where wireline is economically unfeasible due to the distance between potential users."

The IEEE said that protocols in the standard will ensure that this new service does not cause harmful interference to services in the TV broadcast bands.

The standard will provide for broadband systems that choose portions of the spectrum by sensing which frequencies are unoccupied.

"The standard, which will work with existing IEEE 802 architectures, will give IEEE 802.11 wireless local area networks in outlying areas a fatter pipe for receiving and transmitting data," said Stevenson.