Fairspectrum Provides TV White Space Database for Europe's First Geolocation Radio License

HELSINKI, August 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Fairspectrum Oy, a leader in the field of spectrum sharing technology, announced the deployment of Fairspectrum geolocation database in the communication system, which implements the Europe's first TV White Space geolocation database radio license.

Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (Ficora) has today issued a test radio license for cognitive radio devices on the TV White Space frequencies for Turku University of Applied Sciences. The license covers the 470-790 MHz frequency range and a 40 km x 40 km area surrounding Turku, Finland. The license is valid for one year. Nearly 300 000 people live in the radio license area. A geolocation database is an essential part of the license. The license is the first one in Europe having the geolocation database control of frequencies.  

Spectrum sharing is a global solution for matching the increasing demand for wireless data communication and scarce frequency resources. TV White Space frequencies are a real world test laboratory of spectrum sharing. TV White Space can improve existing data communication services by increasing data rates or coverage area, it can make the services more cost efficient, and new services can be developed. Spectrum sharing in TV White Space is managed with a geolocation database. The geolocation database controls TV White Space device frequencies and transmission power so that the devices do not interfere other wireless communication systems like terrestrial TV or radio microphones.

Fairspectrum provides the geolocation database for the communication system according to the Ficora licence rules. Fairspectrum geolocation database applies geometrical computation in radio spectrum sharing. Geometrical computation makes Fairspectrum geolocation database efficient, fast, and easily customizable for various environments, regulations, and rules. The geometrical computation based rules can clearly be communicated between operators, regulators, and other users of the shared spectrum.

The issued license will be used in the WISE project. The WISE consortium consists of Nokia, Digita, Fairspectrum, Ficora, Turku University of Applied Sciences, University of Turku, and Aalto University.

WISE White space test environment for broadcast frequencies (WISE) is a Tekes funded research project in Finland, and it is a part of the Tekes Trial program. WISE studies efficient use of TV-band spectrum resources through cognitive radio technologies and geolocation databases. Tekes Trial program invites international experts and investments to benefit from its unique trial environment for cognitive radio and networks. For more information, visit http://wise.turkuamk.fi and http://www.tekes.fi/programmes/Trial.

Fairspectum is a Finnish startup applying Internet services and computational geometry in the field of radio spectrum sharing. For more information, visit http://www.fairspectrum.com.

Ficora is Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority. For more information, visit http://www.ficora.fi.

TUAS is Turku University of Applied Sciences. It offers education that develops working life and entrepreneurship, research and development services (R&D) and holistic development of organisations. For more information, visit http://www.turkuamk.fi.