For the second time, a device submitted by Microsoft for U.S. Federal Communications Commission testing of wireless "white spaces" technology has stopped working and been taken out of the process.
 
The wireless prototype, which was not made by Microsoft, unexpectedly stopped working on Wednesday, Microsoft said Friday. In February, the FCC took another Microsoft-submitted device out of testing because it had power problems.

The White Spaces Coalition, which includes Google, Philips and Dell as well as Microsoft, has asked the FCC to let wireless devices use vacant frequencies, referred to as white spaces, in the spectrum band allocated to television. They say this would give consumers more wireless broadband options. Opponents, including the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), say such devices would interfere with TV broadcasts. Microsoft and others voluntarily submitted prototype devices for testing, a step that usually isn't included in this type of FCC process, said Microsoft spokeswoman Ginny Terzano.

The NAB used Wednesday's unexpected shutdown to attack the white-spaces backers. "In baseball, it's three strikes and you're out. How many strikes does Microsoft get? If they can't get the device to work in the lab, how are they going to get it to work in the real world?" NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton said in a statement sent to reporters.

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