FCC will consider 'free or very low cost wireless broadband' service
By Vlad Savov 
posted March 10th 2010 6:13AM
posted March 10th 2010 6:13AM
Did you know there was a Digital Inclusion Summit going on? We already know the FCC isn't best pleased about the fact 93 million Americans are making do without access to home broadband, and this latest event was an opportunity for it to dish some more info on its forthcoming National Broadband Plan. The major obstacles to broadband adoption identified by the FCC were noted as cost, computer illiteracy, and a sheer lack of awareness about the benefits the web offers (outside of cute kitties). The big Plan will be delivered to Congress a week from today, and its suggestions will include the creation of a Digital Literacy Corps, who'll be performing missionary duties among the unenlightened, and the big whopper: a proposal to "consider use of spectrum for a free or very low cost wireless broadband service." Yeah, if you can't jump over the cost hurdle you might as well eviscerate it from existence. Quite naturally, such radical plans have been met with much grumbling opposition, and Business Week reports that it may be years before the full reforms are implemented ... if at all.
@Edgeknight US postal service needs to get all over IPV6. They should be able to sell individuals their own IPV6 address that is assigned forever, and any electronic device they own, gets that address.
The target group that the FCC is going after are the people in rural america where there are no broadband lines. Also, they happen to mostly be right wing nut jobs. It's going to be hilarious when they get it, and still protest big government, but would never admit that they are the most subsidized people on the planet.
@stabbytheicepic
I don't think the left wing government is stupid enough to throw money at people who won't vote for them...
The reason why they won't protest it is
1. They didn't have any say and even though they are paying tons of money for it, it's still better than not having it because the government will pay thousands and millions of dollars to bring 5mb down/2.5mb up Internet speeds to the middle of nowhere. It's not the governments fault people like to live in "the middle of nowhere" and liberals love cities.
2. A better plan would be to force competition by passing laws to allow smaller companies(they tend to have as good or better service than large companies) to be able to lease, for reasonable prices, sections of cable or dsl lines.
Large companies should get up on their feet and start fighting this! The best way for them to go out of business is to not do anything. They should pool money to accomplish this by themselves without the help of the government. I'd rather be paying a few extra dollars a month for my Internet bill than have the government up my neck about why I can't pay my taxes.
@Hondizer The only people that don't have access to broadband are the people outside cities. Look at the language of the FCC. They specifically mention people that have have any access, as in not even an option to purchase.
The left wing takes care of plenty of people that don't vote for them. Most of the population that is on disability, receives farm subsides, Medicare, social security, and the biggest government jobs program in the world, the US Military. Are red states. The only "red" state that doesn't receive more federal welfare then it puts into the system in Texas.
does or has anyone ever used regular antenna tv. that is free and is it hurting anyone. no cause they have commercials that make it free. if they put up basic, as in slow broadband up for people, then there probably would be a catch like ads but at least the ads would pay for it. our taxes have already been lowered by Obama and are not going up whether they give people health care or broadband. broadband for rural families will promote learning and maybe change the conservative rural to moderate or even liberal rural once they find out there is a whole world they live in and not just their own. i am not even that far out of cities or towns but yet we don't receive any kind of broadband in my area. the broadband plan is our only hope in accessing broadband of any kind. cause if the large companies won't be forced to bring us internet then who will. access to broadband spreads your freedoms of speech and brings knowledge to those that don't get it from their parents or small schools. those without broadband will be left behind and the US can not afford to do that. it was Government after all that made it law for people urban or rural to have access to power and phone lines. this is just another step in that direction. its the future and everyone should be able to participate.
@zachtmetalman
I use free OTA TV. I also use 'free' OTA wifi. If the government made a Linksys firmware upgrade (the way it should have been), then most places would have wifi right now, but secure intranets.
The gov can provide the foundation and network access, but commercial & private companies would use this low speed, always on network to create services and products (digital newspapers, e-books, weekly ads for local stores, digital magazines, TV scheduling, utility meters, etc....) There just isn't the right monthly billing cycle business model for anyone else to build this.
I think calling it tax-subsidized is more accurate than free.
The American government is like a drunk teenager with $1 million debt on his credit card, that can't help but buy more beer for all his friends. But look at how much everyone loves the beer!!
@Bushrod The military sucks up 75 percent of our budget.
I agree. Let's cut back on all military spending, across the board.
Shut the beast down.
@stabbytheicepic billion dollars for boats that will never see combat?
Get out of here.
cant wait for lan parties in the park. hasnt come yet. u.u
cant wait for lan parties in the park. hasnt come yet. u.u
Can I suggest a correction to the title? It should read:
FCC will consider MAKING YOU PAY FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S 'wireless broadband' service
Who hoo South Africa has finally joined the uncapped world of internet, about bloody time! Now all we need is a one price all for ADSL Broadband,Internet Access through our mobile networks! Then we are rocking, so maybe when the world cup comes around this will happen! who knows....