The silicon valley is known for its innovative experiments to improve the internet connectivity across the remote parts of the world. Sometimes it is the hot air balloons or giant drones and sometimes a constellation of small satellites to provide the internet. In between all this Microsoft has come out with its own novel way to improve internet connectivity to the remote parts of the world.
The software titan has plans to harness the unused channels present between the television broadcasts, which are known as white spaces, to get the internet to the remote parts of rural America. Microsoft will start the services with 12 states as soon as possible. Arizona, New York, Kansas and Virginia are also included in the mix. The estimate says that there are over two million rural Americans without proper internet. Microsoft’s plan is to cover this gap.
Microsoft president, Brad Smith was quoted as saying that using white spaces will cover 80 percent of the rural American population who do not have access to the internet.
The broadband providers have not been able to provide internet access to the remote places because of infrastructure constraints. Moreover, it is not viable for them to take the risk for few scattered people in the rural places which might not bring in profits either.
The idea is not new. Microsoft and some other companies have been pondering over using white spaces for Internet delivery. However, Microsoft will become the first entity to actually make some practical and concrete efforts in this case.
This tech is known as “Super Wi-Fi”. It is more powerful than the cellular services as its frequencies can penetrate walls and other such obstacles. Moreover, it is also able to go great distances when compared to hot spots.
With the increase in cloud services as well as digital services the 24.3 million rural population is a big market for the tech companies.
Microsoft is urging the state and federal regulators to guarantee the use of white spaces for the benefit of the common people. Moreover, when there is confidence from the government then the investments will also start to flow.