Digital TV Impeding Wireless Web

The New York Times ran an article late this week about the sad state of the wireless Internet in the U.S. Surprisingly, the number one problem preventing its growth is digital television.

A few years ago, the FCC granted TV stations a big chunk of the scarce open frequencies to use while they were phasing in digital TV so they could broadcast the same content in both the current format and in digital. The TV stations don't have to give up their spectrum licenses until 85% of all television viewers have switched to digital TV.

Unfortunately, digital TV has turned into a big snafu and it could be as long as another ten years before this happens. Meanwhile, wireless ISPs are starving for lack of bandwidth in large metropolitan areas and paying billions for the small chunks of it that are auctioned off.

One expert estimates that at the current rate of growth, the government must nearly triple the amount of spectrum available for wireless Internet in the next five years.