A decision by the FCC on Thursday September 23rd could affect search marketing far beyond interface changes such as Google Instant.
The FCC is to finalize provisions for unlicensed wireless devices to operate in unused parts of the TV spectrum – aka White Spaces – for advanced Wi-Fi technologies and broadband.
This White Spaces spectrum formerly used by analog TV signals could provide broadband access from a single router for long distances of up to 50 miles while having excellent building penetration which the FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski calls “Super Wi-Fi” & “Wi-Fi on steroids.”
Google was an early proponent and even provided a White Spaces proposal over 2 years ago with the intent of devices using its new mobile operating system at the time, Android.
White Spaces can over time conceivably provide universal Wi-Fi broadband access across the country thereby reaching anyone with an Internet enabled device.
Google could then provide this access throughout the country in combination with its thousands of miles of dark fiber it bought earlier this century.
Google makes more money in the back-end via advertising for provinding Android for free; the same could be said of providing broadband to everyone.
Not only will this allow mobile marketing to truly explode as well less dependence on mobile carriers, that was further echoed by ZDNet, but will also provide an expanded user base for search marketers to target.
