An international initiative spearheaded by the Federal Communications Commission in the U. S. could soon see this country blanketed by cheap, high-speed Internet with the potential to change the way Canadians share information, make cellphone calls and watch TV.

The FCC launched the International TV White Spaces Fellowship and Training Initiative, designed to educate foreign regulators about the potential of so-called "white space" broadcasting -- unused digital TV channels on the dial.

Unlike other wireless technologies, white spaces are not affected by concrete, trees or shrubs, and do not require a clear line of sight to work.

By using the existing TV broadcasting network, the new technology could encourage more competition among Internet providers and, possibly, lower fees for Internet access.

Without the need to lease cables or set up new towers, new Internet providers can set up quickly and at low cost, and offer coast-to-coast Internet access.

"Our founder, Larry Page, calls it Wi-Fi on steroids," said Jacob Glick, Canada policy counsel for Google Inc.,which has been one of the most vocal supporters for white spaces.

"For the average person, there will be many more choices on where, how, and how much you pay for your broadband Internet connection," Glick said.

The new technology will use the digital TV broadcast rollout in the United States--which will replace the rabbit ears on the existing analogue TV system by summer--as a medium to distribute Internet signals. Since it's using the broadcasting network, anyone able to pick up TV signals with a digital antenna will be able to tap these Internet signals.

Doing so will provide a cheap and effective way of blanketing a country in high-speed wireless Internet signals.

Canada is to shut off analogue TV in February 2011, and whitespace technology could be implemented here at that time. That's why Canadian regulators are listening intently to their U. S. colleagues.

"Industry Canada is closely monitoring the developments, and testing that is ongoing in the U. S. with regards to the use of TV white space spectrum,"said Stefanie Power, a spokeswoman for Industry Canada.

The FCC has researched white spaces for years and wants to share its findings about the technology.

"It is important that we continue to support ways to expand consumers' access to cutting-edge wireless products," said former FCC chairman Kevin Martin in a news release. "This program will help us to achieve those goals."

New cellular phones are being planned that would operate independently of existing networks, and would instead access the Internet through white-space technologies and send and receive calls over the web. High-definition TV broadcasts and movies can be streamed through white spaces directly to a person's laptop, BlackBerry or iPhone.

"It takes images and sound and sends them great distances with no distortion," said Jake Ward, a spokesman for the Wireless Innovation Alliance, which has been lobbying for white-space technology to be approved for general use.

"Given we have this empty space and you can move information further and faster, this is incredibly important to the wireless industry," Ward said.

The FCC's board of directors unanimously approved the technology for use in November.

The emergence of the new technology adds a twist to the upcoming hearings on new media, which are being held by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

The federal regulator is trying to decide whether it should start regulating content on the Internet in the same way it regulates TV programming.

Strict rules regarding Canadian content apply to traditional broad-casters. Until now, the CRTC has taken a hands-off approach to Internet broadcasts. The CRTC hearing begins Feb. 17.

Technologies such as white spaces are forcing the CRTC to revisit its position on Internet content, as more consumers watch TV and movies on the web--a trend that white spaces will accelerate.

The CRTC refused to comment on the technology directly, but a spokesman said the agency is watching the white space rollout and communicating regularly with the FCC.