TV White Space Trial Set for Cape Town

The first TV White Space (TVWS) trial in South Africa will test wireless broadband in ten schools across the Cape Town area.  The trial is led by Google, Carlson Wireless and other partners.

The trial will attempt to show that broadband can be offered over white spaces without interfering with licensed spectrum holders. To prevent interference with other channels, the network utilizes Google's spectrum database to determine white space availability. Carlson's RuralConnect Broadband Solution, enabled by the Neul Horizon software, provides the communications backbone for the trial; outputting broadband Internet while interacting with the Google database to ensure proper channel assignment.

Jim Carlson, President of Carlson Wireless, stated, "'This is a small example of TVWS spectrum overcoming a need that exists all over the world...providing connectivity to underserved areas is more than an interest to us, it's specifically what got us into the game. We are overjoyed to participate in such a project, helping to provide schools with a fundamental service."

http://www.carlsonwireless.com