Microsoft, Google and Dell have formed the backbone of a six-partner coalition named the Wireless Innovation Alliance. Their goal is to use the so-called unlicensed "white space" spectrum -- partially freed by the migration to digital television -- to offer un-served consumers inexpensive Internet access via the airwaves (with these companies obviously providing the hardware and software).

However, tests at the FCC haven't exactly gone so well, with an initial round of testing showing the device couldn't cleanly avoid nearby signals, and a second round of testing running into device power problems. Motorola has now joined the fold, offering up their own device today for testing (they aren't a WIA member).White space broadband proponents have a lot of enemies, from the National Association of Broadcasters (concerned with both interference and broadcast competition) to the NFL (concerned primarily with interference). Given the large carriers' abilitiy to dominate at auction, they'd prefer if this spectrum was licensed and auctioned off.