Super Wi-Fi is going to college, bringing broadband access to underserved campuses and their surrounding communities.
AIR.U (Advanced Internet Regions), a group comprised of a higher education associations, public interest groups, and high-tech companies, announced on Tuesday that it will deploy Super Wi-Fi networks to universities to expand high-speed wireless connectivity on and off campus. The "super" technology relies on TV white spaces, or unused television channels, to provide Internet access.
AIR.U said in a statement that it will focus on upgrading broadband in those areas that have greater-than-average demand for Web access, but less-than-average access.
Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Project at the New America Foundation's Open Technology Institute, said that the lack of sufficient broadband and a typically large number of vacant TV channels make colleges in rural areas "ideal candidates" to receive Super Wi-Fi capabilities.
The group's initial goal is to deploy pilot programs and "create a roadmap for the rapid deployment of sustainable, net generation wireless networks," as white spaces equipment is expected to become more widely available next year.
Super Wi-Fi networks will transmit on lower frequencies than regular Wi-Fi, allowing broadband signals to cover larger areas, the group said.
"Expanded broadband access has been an unaffordable hurdle in rural, underserved communities," said Robert Rucker, vice president for Operations and Technology at the United Negro College Fund, one off the AIR.U partners.
"This effort will enable selected institutions and all the constituents they serve to have the enhanced, sustainable capacity needed to more fully experience the information age and the ability to participate and contribute to it," Rucker said in a statement.
In December, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the first commercial Super Wi-Fi devices, as well as the geolocation database that will ensure white space devices operate only on vacant TV channels without interfering with television reception.
Google and a number of tech companies were selected last year by the FCC as administrators of the Super Wi-Fi databases. The eight other organizations include Comsearch, Frequency Finder, KB Enterprises and LS Telecom, Key Bridge Global, Neustar, Spectrum Bridge, Telcordia, and WSdb.
AIR.U expects one or more pilot networks to be operational by the first quarter of 2013.
For more, see 8 Devices That Can Fix Your Wi-Fi Signal Problems.
For more from Stephanie, follow her on Twitter @smlotPCMag.
Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2406378,00.asp?kc=PCRSS05039TX1K0000748
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