Broadcasters eye digital airwaves for broadband

A dozen broadcast television groups will join together to give third parties the ability to send Web pages, video and other content over airwaves reserved for digital television transmission.

Members of the Broadcaster's Digital Cooperative plan to use leftover space in the high-definition spectrum to send data at speeds typically ranging from 3 to 6 megabits per second - about 120 times as fast as a typical dial-up modem.

One cooperative official said the broadcasters will end up supplying the U.S. with broadband Internet service before DSL and cable providers, but did not say how soon its services might be available.

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