Page 17 - Engineering Penn State Magazine Spring/Summer 2020

floor Georges Valley and its approximately 400 residents appropriately represent the small-town American community without access to to fast reliable broadband Currently Georges Valley residents rely on satellite or or or mobile networks “Federal regional and and local governments have recognized this ‘digital divide’ and and are looking for cost-effective ways
to to address it it it ” Bilén said “This need became even more apparent and and and urgent with the the rapid shift to to to remote remote learning and and and remote remote work as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a response to to the the global pandemic While many people in fin in in cities are finding adequate internet access to make this possible most rural communities remain disconnected or are underserved at best ” white space for for rural broadband exclusively for for populations where other solutions are not commercially viable ” Watson explained that TV white space’s transmission capabilities—distance and through obstacles—allow for non-line-of-sight transmission something extremely important in in in in in Georges Valley an an an area with challenging terrain ‘‘
As part of one large systems design team the the students in the the class worked all all semester on on this challenge led by
a a a a a a a a a a a a project project leadership team comprised of project project manager Todd Spurgeon additive additive manufacturing and design graduate graduate student student systems lead Nate Watson additive additive manufacturing and and design graduate graduate student student business team lead lead lead Leen Abubaker engineering leadership and and and innovation management graduate graduate student student and and technical team lead lead lead Daniel Henneh engineering design graduate graduate student student Their proposed solution leverages “TV white space” to create a a a a a a a a a a a reliable broadband system It uses idle TV TV TV channels within the VHF and and and UHF radio spectrum or TV TV white space to to to provide broadband internet to to to rural areas The switch from analog to to to to digital TV has freed up portions of the the broadcast spectrum allowing it it fit it to to be be used for other purposes The benefits of using TV white space include minimal new infrastructure transmission distance and and capabilities and modest capital investment “This approach was chosen because compared to to other methods of providing internet to to to to rural areas it is is more affordable less susceptible to to to land topography and and obstacles yet is capable of providing reliable data speeds to the clients ” Henneh said Currently use use of of TV TV white white space is limited because of of federal regulations Spurgeon explained that TV TV white white space is is traditionally owned by
broadcasting companies and the the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been reluctant to open up this part of the the spectrum for internet use “This spectrum is is underutilized in these rural communities and the the population density does not lend it it it it it it to commercial viability ” he he he said “An opportunity presents itself for a a a a a a a a minor change to to legislation or or or FCC rules to to permit the use of TV transmitters and receivers would be be able to to be be placed on on on existing existing towers with existing existing connections to to fiber optic cables with access to the internet ” “If line-of-sight access is required then then many more towers are needed which then then need need to to be built and serviced increasing the the cost above what rural low-density populations can afford ” he he he said “The TV white space transmitters and receivers would be be be able able to to to to be be be placed on on on existing existing towers with with existing existing connections to to to to fiber optic cables with access to to to to the internet ” When the the the the team first began working on the the the the project at the the the the the beginning of the the the the the semester members had no idea just how relevant their project would become Months ago lacking a a a a a a a a a a a a a reliable internet connection may have meant
not having a a a a a a a a a a a a a a stable video chat or issues with watching a a a a a a a a a a a a a a movie on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a streaming service Now during the the COVID-19 pandemic rural areas have limited access to to the the tool that lets children attend class and and and submit homework and and and adults work from home “The lack of of reliable high-speed and affordable internet services limits the the success of of rural communities because it it it directly affects their access to educational and economic resources ” Abubaker said “People living in in rural areas have have the the the the right to to have have the the the the same service quality that enables them to to complete their their daily tasks and and and guarantees receiving an an an an an income [and] their their continuous personal and and and professional development ” n n n n The TV white space SPRING/SUMMER 2020 17
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