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: BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog

Update: Google vs. Sports

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BoardBuzz came across this update to our previous post about Google's White Spaces plan. Popular Science reports:

Google has an unexpected opponent in the battle for protected white spaces?athletic leagues. The NFL, MLB, NASCAR, NBA, NHL, NCAA, PGA Tour and even ESPN are all ganging up in a fight to get their hands on the airwaves in between your television channels that are currently being used for wireless microphones (including sporting events) but not much else. Google, a member of the Wireless Innovation Alliance which includes Microsoft, HP, Dell, Intel and others, wants to use this space for the ?future of communication, wireless Internet and even the portable television.?

White spaces are a public resource. Google's plan for them is somewhat hazy, but the promise of mobile devices using WiFi 2.0 or "Wi-Fi on steroids,? as described by one Google executive, seems appealing to us. White spaces are not licensed to sports leagues despite their protests that they should retain "ownership." Popular Science goes on to say:

The FCC is evaluating the technology but not before a bit of old fashion mud-slinging that would make Barack and Hillary blush. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), also against deregulating white spaces, has released an ad on Capitol Hill with a picture of a distorted television channel suggesting we?ll all miss the 9th inning if Google wins. Not to be outdone, Google?s ad features a 1950?s TV as what we?d all be living with if we followed the past guidance of the NAB.

Early tests lend credence to the NAB's fears which prompted Google to suggest that channels be reserved for existing technologies. This did little to quiet the lobbying though. BoardBuzz is left wondering if that wonderful wireless world we had envisioned is further off than we had thought.

Full post as published by BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog on May 14, 2008 (boomark / email).