By this time next year, thousands of people will be using a new longer-range kind of Wi-Fi commonly called "super Wi-Fi."

Super Wi-Fi isn't really Wi-Fi, a form of wireless networking which uses unlicensed spectrum. Instead, it's a new kind of wireless network running on unused or underused spectrum known as "white spaces." It's championed by the likes of Google and Microsoft.

After a long, protracted battle with broadcasters, who first opposed the new tech, it got the official okay from the FCC last December. Since then there's only been a few pilot networks where people can use it.

But progress is being made. A key company in the Super Wi-Fi industry is Spectrum Bridge. It just announced a new program to help equipment makers get white-spaces radios approved to be sold. That means that Super Wi-Fi is on track to be more widely available in 2013.

This follows news from June, when the Advanced Internet Regions University, (AIR.U) said that it will deploy Super Wi-Fi on university campuses across the country starting next year, too.

Super Wi-Fi is exciting because it is stronger and more powerful than existing Wi-Fi. It will be especially important for rural areas and other dead spots where broadband wireless isn't available. If it can get a TV signal, the area can have high-speed Internet access.

This is expected to become a $1 billion market, similar to the Wi-Fi industry.

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