Sensible Open Source

FCC Poses Free Internet For The Public: What's the Catch?

« H E SOS :: MISC :: email
posted 25 June 2008, Wednesday

Free Internet via Wireless Broadband for free!!  No Taxes?  No Cost?  What's the catch, well no catch.....

Really, the FCC wants to offer you, John P. Public free wireless internet.  Offering to auction off the available wireless spectrum with the following constraints:

  1.  Provide Internet access for NO charge
  2. All traffic must be filtered for PORN....   

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin proposal is lite in detail but does require an upfront payment for the spectrum as opposed to remuneration from operational proceeds.  There's value in this upfront for the FCC and no gain on a successful outcome.  Least not forget the past performance of FREE WIFI as  it has met with failure to several company's dissolutiont.

Though, the FREE prospect is only an access issue concept. The future will be free access, it is only a matter of time. However, one way or another "Free Access" will be funded by either government subsidy, advertising supported, taxing the public or a hybrid of these areas.  Free access is the future, porn may not survive on this network upfront, but like Graffiti it will rear its shiny little head, someway, somehow....

It appears  Mr Martin's proposal lifted the brow of the wireless phone companies; which they quickly pointed out the ill effects on services of the adjacent bands.  Mr Martin pulled the proposal from the FCC's June 12th meeting.   

 

As a reference:

Free Internet is part of new FCC airwaves auction

Monday, 23 June 2008

WASHINGTON (Reuters ) - The Federal Communications Commission on Friday said it wants to auction a section of wireless airwaves to buyers willing to provide free broadband Internet service without pornography.
 
 
 
The agency asked for public comment on its plan to auction an unused portion of the wireless spectrum with the condition that the winning bidder offer free Internet access and filter out obscene content on part of those airwaves.

 
Successful bidders for the spectrum would also be required to provide coverage to at least half of the United States within four years, and to at least 95 percent of the U.S. population by the end of the 10-year license, the FCC said.  “Additional obligations associated with the licensee’s free broadband service would include a requirement to provide a network-based filtering mechanism for the free Internet service in order to protect children and families, and a requirement that the network allow for the use of open devices,” the agency said.

 

 

 

 

 

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