The IEEE has published the IEEE 802.22 standard to provide broadband access to wide regional areas around the world and bring reliable and secure high-speed communications to under-served and un-served communities.

This new standard for Wireless Regional Area Networks (WRANs) takes advantage of the favorable transmission characteristics of the VHF and UHF TV bands to provide broadband wireless access over a large area, typically up to 100 kilometers from the transmitter.

Each WRAN will deliver up to 22 Mbps per channel without interfering with reception of existing TV broadcast stations, using the “white spaces” between the occupied TV channels. This technology is especially useful for serving less densely populated areas, such as rural areas, and developing countries, where most vacant TV channels can be found.

IEEE 802.22 incorporates advanced cognitive radio capabilities, including dynamic spectrum access, incumbent database access, accurate geolocation techniques, spectrum sensing, regulatory domain dependent policies, spectrum etiquette, and coexistence for optimal use of the available spectrum.