Microsoft leads internet industry bid to dominate vacated TV spectrum

Microsoft leads internet industry bid to dominate vacated TV spectrum
It is clear that the mobile internet, once it becomes truly workable, will become a cornerstone of business and communications. What is less clear is which companies will control its evolution and so derive the maximum benefit, and this question has already resulted in an ongoing war for the driving seat, waged between the cellular community on one hand and the internet players, with their open IP, PC-oriented heritage, on the other - with the broadcast and media industries trying to carve out their own position. One of the most dramatic battles in this war could arise in the US from current lobbying over future use of the 'white space' spectrum (idle channels in the TV bands between 54MHz and 862MHz, set up to avoid interference, but now possibly to be used for internet access). A coalition led by Microsoft, and backed by most of the heavyweights of the internet industry, has submitted a device for use in this white space to the FCC for approval, signalling the determination of these players to make use of new spectrum availability to promote their own business model.