Tech Group Pushes TV-Based Internet

Microsoft Corp., Google Inc. and four other high-tech U.S. companies want to bring Internet access into people’s homes through TV channels, the companies say.

The coalition — which also includes Hewlett-Packard Co., Intel Corp. and Royal Philips Electronics NV — wants the Federal Communications Commission to let idle TV channels beam high-speed Internet signals into homes and offices, The Washington Post reports.

Idle channels are unused channels between operating channels in a given city.

Part of the FCC’s decision will be based on whether it is convinced Internet traffic would not bleed outside the unused channel’s designated spectrum and interfere with existing broadcasts, the Post said.

The coalition demonstrated an experimental device that can deliver the Internet over the airwaves at a federal lab Tuesday.

If the proposal gets FCC approval, the device could be in stores by early 2009, the coalition says.