Rural California ISP launches white spaces broadband for remote customers

An Internet service provider in California says it has deployed one of "the first commercial application[s] of TV White-Space broadband" to a rural area where many people lack strong Internet access. The ISP, Cal.net, said that "[o]ver 59,000 residents in our rural service area have had little or no quality Internet access." Many of those could be served with Cal.net's new white spaces network, which uses empty TV channels to send long-range wireless signals. Cal.net built the service using RuralConnect, a set of base station antennas and white space broadband radios made by a manufacturer called Carlson. The latest version of RuralConnect unveiled last month promises speeds of up to 16Mbps, although Cal.net's website promises wireless service of up to just 6Mbps. Cal.net's white space service is available to businesses and residents in the Gold Country region in central and northeastern California.