Washington - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced plans to resume testing prototypes of devices designed to transmit broadband service over unused portions of the broadcast TV spectrum, the Associated Press reported.

Broadcasters and makers of wireless microphones had raised concerns the devices may cause signal interference.

The FCC last summer tried to test prototypes from Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) and Philips (NYSE: PHG), but problems with the prototypes themselves and lack of success outside the laboratory resulted in the tests being scrapped.

Later this month, the FCC will try again, testing prototypes from both Microsoft and Philips, as well as Motorola and Adaptrum, in both laboratory and real-world settings.

Other companies looking to develop the "white space" technology include Google (NASD: GOOG), Dell (NASD: DELL), HP (NYSE: HPQ), Intel (NASD: INTC) and EarthLink (NASD: ELNK).

Should the tests prove successful, device makers say they would plan to introduce commercial products after the switch to digital TV broadcasting in early 2009.

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/1xqwt (AP)

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch//DA-08-118A1.pdf