Microsoft, RTO Wireless Team on Rural Broadband Initiative

Computer giant Microsoft has teamed up with RTO Wireless to provide broadband access to more than a quarter million people in rural New York state and Maine. It is the latest project in the company's Airband Initiative to connect rural areas to broadband partnerships with Internet service providers, and energy companies and others. The goal is to close the rural digital divide by July 4, 2022, including by making use of unlicensed spectrum in the so-called TV white spaces between TV channels.

Microsoft RTO Wireless plans call for the partners to use TV white spaces and citizens band radio service (CBRS) technology. TV white spaces technology uses vacant low-frequency TV broadcast spectrum on an unlicensed basis in areas where it is not in use by license holders. The CBRS band includes unlicensed mid-band spectrum already available for use by network operators, as well as additional spectrum slated for auction that also will have an unlicensed component. Microsoft believes white spaces technology will be the most economical approach to bringing broadband to 80% of unserved or underserved rural Americans.