In the early days of television, the government established empty areas between TV channels to guard against broadcast interference. Over the years, great advances in technology have eliminated the need for these buffers.

New technology actually makes it possible to utilize these vacant portions of the television spectrum -- called white spaces -- to expand high-speed Internet access throughout the United States. White spaces can be used to bring universal, affordable broadband to millions of Americans who have been left off the grid.

• On Nov. 4, 2008, the FCC cast a crucial vote to approve the unlicensed use of white spaces to provide high-speed Internet access nationwide. Click here to read about this enormous victory for the American public.

The FCC vote to open up white spaces follows an exhaustive 18-month study
released last month by the agency's Office of Engineering and Technology that concluded new technology can use white spaces without harming adjacent TV signals.

• Read the FCC report on white spaces by clicking here.
• Learn more about our white spaces campaign here.

Free Press is active in several coalitions advocating for smart spectrum policy to unlock the potential of white spaces. These coalitions include the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition (PISC) and the Wireless Innovation Alliance.

In Congress

The key piece of white spaces legislation introduced during the 110th Congress was the Wireless Innovation Act of 2007 (H.R. 1597/S. 234). Introduced by Reps. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) and Nathan Deal (R-Ga.), the bill sought to direct the FCC to move quickly to free up white spaces for wireless broadband use.

• Read these letters of support for opening up the white spaces to deliver wireless broadband to millions of Americans.

At the FCC

Filings at the FCC relating to white spaces have included:

• Comments on the Unlicensed Use of TV White Spaces
  Consumer groups urge the FCC to allow the use of vacant TV channels to facilitate the deployment of rural broadband and unleash a new wave of innovative wireless devices. (November 2004)
• Reply Comments on the Unlicensed Use of TV White Spaces
  Consumer groups provide both legal and economic justification to refute the claims made by broadcasters seeking to maintain control of the television spectrum. The groups urge the FCC to dismiss these claims and open up TV white spaces. (January 2005)
• Further Comments on the Unlicensed Use of TV White Spaces
  Consumer groups provide input into the testing of devices in the white spaces band and remind the FCC of the devices' wide-ranging benefits. (January 2007)
• Read these letters of support for opening up the white spaces.