Washington - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that it will next week begin a month-long field test of "white space" devices, which can receive broadband Internet access via unused portions of the broadcast spectrum used for TV. Two of these tests will take place in sports and entertainment venues, as some of the opposition to the devices has been lodged by sports leagues who argue the device may cause interference with wireless microphones used by coaches and broadcasters during games. Companies including Google (NASD: GOOG), Microsoft (NASD: MSFT), Intel (NASD: INTC) and Philips (NYSE: PHG) have lobbied the FCC to open up the white space spectrum for broadband services.

Washington - Google (NASD: GOOG) on Monday sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), urging the agency to allow unused portions of the TV spectrum -- or "white space" -- to be used to provide wireless Internet access nationwide. "The unique qualities of the TV white space -- unused spectrum, large amounts of bandwidth, and excellent propagation characteristics -- offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to provide ubiquitous wireless broadband access to all Americans," Richard Whitt, Google's Washington telecom and media counsel, writes in the letter.

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.