WiFi Signals In Between Television Frequencies

compgenius3 writes "The FCC unanimously voted today to allow wireless providers to use the frequencies between television stations to broadcast WiFi in rural areas. Broadcasters argue that this will cause interference on television stations but the FCC chairman says otherwise." Update: 05/18 23:40 GMT by T : compgenius3 points out NAB president Edward Fritts' skepticism of the plan, as reflected in this press release citing fears of intereference to over-the-air broadcasts.

Comments

How many use don't use cable/satellite

[millahtime]

How many people use an antenna to pick up tv? I don't think I know of a one. My grandparents even have cable and they hardly watch TV. This won't mess with your cable or satellite.

Re:How many use don't use cable/satellite

[squiggleslash]

The American public does not own the cables that carry TV into our homes. Therefore, there is a whole lot more potential for defeating home use of content. Cable companies would have an air-tight monopoly on TV delivery, and would not have to compete with broadcast on cost or on usage rights. Do you want to pay $100/month for television, with a crippled signal that can't be recorded for archival without jumping through lots of technical hoops? Neither do I.

Me neither. So my option would be to not pay $100 a month for a TV service that is far from what I want. One hundred channels of crap, scheduled when someone else feels like it? Not for me.

And with more and more shows coming out on DVD as a matter of routine, I don't think even the most avid TV addict should feel it necessary to take that kind of abuse. Roll on the rise of DVD (and what comes after DVD), and TV being reduced the same way as radio was thirty or forty years ago.