Tech and economic analysts have been paying close attention lately to TV white space, and the questions on everyone’s mind seem to be: what are the possibilities and where is this all going? A new report from PolicyTracker examines the entire TV white-space “ecosystem” in detail and recommends policies to facilitate adoption of the technology worldwide.

Aimed at global regulators, early adopters and other stakeholders, “Developing a Global Ecosystem for TV White Spaces” by Catherine Viola also recommends policies to address lingering concerns about the technology, such as those from the events and microphone industries regarding interference from TV white-space (TVWS) devices.

The FCC and U.S. spectrum database managers such as Spectrum Bridge and Telcordia have already taken such concerns into consideration when developing policies and systems but, as the report notes, the technology is still “nascent” in many countries.

“[The report] explores what remains to be done for a global TVWS ecosystem to materialize and how long this might take,” states the summary. It proposes an “industry maturity model” that “maps out five key stages of evolution” for the technology.

The report also identifies which countries are likely to lead the way in adopting this technology, which offers the first-ever affordable wireless solution for broadband in challenging terrain.

Carlson, its new TVWS device RuralConnect, and its TVWS broadband trial projects, such as the one on Yurok Tribal Territory in Northern California, are featured in the report. Author Viola has also reported in the past about Carlson and TV white space technology in her Oct. 2011 article for Innovation Observatory, “TV White Spaces: A Spectrum Opportunity Starts to Open Up.”

PolicyTracker is a London-based organization that explores the "latest debates in spectrum management and policy," and this 90-page report is available through its website, PolicyTracker, the Spectrum Management Newsletter.

To find out more about using TV white space to overcome envionmental challenges to broadband in your community, contact Carlson at 707-822-7000 or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .