According to an article from MIT’s Technology Review a new project will bring broadband to 8,000 Florida residents using what’s called cognitive radio. This technology will beam over a frequency normally used by garage door openers and baby monitors.
Author David Talbot explains that cognitive radio can sense available frequencies and switch among them on they fly. This may forestall a spectrum shortage that’s been building due to the explosion of smart phones. U.S. mobile data traffic quadrupled last year.
The service will send and receive signals over the 902 to 928 megahertz band, which is the usual space occupied by cordless phones, baby monitors and garage door openers.
As more and more of our airwaves are being taken over by wireless devices the available spectrum is shrinking. Cognitive spectrum technology will attempt to make those devices more nimble and able to move among frequencies.
A White House report, coauthored by industry leaders, including Eric Schmidt from Google, is calling for the telecommunications industry to develop effective spectrum sharing technologies.
FCC Chairman, Julius Genachowski, supported this effort, “spectrum is finite, at least with current and foreseeable technologies. Just as we must pursue future-oriented energy technologies and policies, we have no choice on our airwaves: we must make better, more efficient use of spectrum.”
This technology may also solve the problem of getting fast internet and cellphone access to rural areas that aren’t on the radar of major carriers like ATT or Verizon. Smaller carriers could step in and use cognitive radio to fill the gaps.
So what might this mean for all of with garages and infants? Will we be able to hear Netflix movies over our baby monitors or will a heated argument send our garage doors up and down? Probably not but it may have future implications for garage door manufacturers.
If you’re looking for a new garage door, or garage door operator, in the Kansas City Metro area you’ll find just what you need at Raynor Garage Doors of Kansas City. We can help you find the garage door of your dreams, replace an older operator to keep your family safe, or even come over and fix a problem. So call us today. We have no idea if your garage door will answer your phone.
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