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FCC greenlights Google white space plan

The Standard
Comments 9
This prediction is closed and has been judged.
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Judgment: This did not occur in the allotted timeframe.  Judged at 0% -- The Industry Standard

Original prediction: CNET has the latest on Google's newest spectrum proposal, whereby the Federal Communications Commission would free up unused broadcast TV channels known as "white spaces" for unlicensed use by personal devices:

"In a renewed effort to get the FCC on board with the idea, Google filed a six-page letter late on Friday that attempts to erase lingering concerns from TV broadcasters and microphone manufacturers about harmful interference caused by the entry of new devices"

While it is speculated that actual consumer access to white space spectrum wouldn't occur until November or December of 2009, the FCC may sign off on the idea as soon as a few months from now, pending a resolution to the interference challanges that MSFT, Dell and others have been working on, alongside Google.

This is a prediction that the FCC will officially announce a plan to utilize whitespace for non-broadcast TV purposes, including but not limited to mobile handsets. There are no other conditions on this prediction, which we understand is an inherently vague one. If you feel as though there is a need for clarification, please voice those concerns in the comments and we will revise as appropriate.

Price History

Prediction Statistics

Betting Closes:Sep 15 2008Current Consensus:3.92%Total Bets:45
Today's Change:
-2.09%
Life Time High:57.44%
Life Time Low:3.92%

Comments

Larry Page met with members fo Congress and the FCC today to lobby for Google's whitespace plan.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121148523200515073.html?mod=googlenews_w...


@TIS, will unfavorable judgement be made if there are no announcements made by end of September 15? Or will the judgement be made only upon an announcement by FCC (approve/disapprove the white space plan request)?


@TIS - So if I read this correctly, the FCC will make some statement by Sept 15 on the plans for whitespace opened up by transitioning to digital TV. I'm assuming an extension of the current dual analog/digital TV would not count unless accompanied by statements of future whitespace intentions.


@TIS, we need clarfication on judgement date for this prediction.


@TIS, still awaiting confirmation on judgement date on this one.


FCC will report on results of trial in September, then vote. Rules on using the spectrum would be available by end-of-year if the FCC goes that way.

There's no way this comes to pass by mid-September, unless the definition of "officially announce a plan" is stretched out of recognition AND the FCC moves very quickly.


@abner, Yes, only if the extension included whitespace intentions, which did not happen (yet)

@david No announcement was made today (so far) and so we're looking at an unfavorable judgement; just as you suggested above, "unfavorable judgement will be made if there are no announcements made by end of September 15."

It seems too like this is what the community thought (at 4% currently).

Apologies for the delay, all! We should have been more clear in associating the announcement date directly with the close date. We wrote this one waaaay back when we were just getting started. Thanks for bearing with us.


FCC approved white space plan ... more than a month later than judgment date.


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