FCC: U.S. doesn't need free wireless broadband
- IT TOPICS:Government & Regulation, Internet, Mobile & Wireless, Networking
The FCC once again is siding with big telcos at the expense of consumers. This time around, it killed a plan that would offer free wireless broadband to 95% of the U.S., making use of a piece of the wireless spectrum that's unused. Are you surprised?
M2Z networks has been asking the FCC for months to approve an innovative plan that would bring wireless broadband to just about every consumer in the U.S. M2Z wants to use 20MHz of unused spectrum in the 2GHz band to build two nationwide wireless networks -- a free one with 384kbps download speeds, and a for-pay one with 3Mbps speed that would cost between $20 and $30 a month.
The deal would work like this: M2Z would offer the free service in exchange for use of the spectrum, which right now lies idle. The company would pay the U.S. 5% of its revenues in return for use of the spectrum.
The plan is no pipe dream from a flaky startup. The company is founded and headed by John Muleta, who is the former chief of the FCC's wireless bureau.
It certainly seems like a deal in which everyone wins. Everyone gets free 384kbps wireless access, and can upgrade to higher speeds. The U.S. government gets more revenue.
So why did the FCC put the kibosh on it? Because big telcos told them to. The spectrum was used previouly by big telcos for microwave connections, but is no longer needed, so it lays idle. Even though big telcos aren't using the spectrum, they'd like to keep squatting on it, in case they come up with a use for it. So the FCC lets them keep it.
Expect to see a lawsuit about this one, and hope that M2Z wins.



